COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Aetherius Society

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer to Lord Lester of Herne Hill of 30 March 2009,  Official Report, House of Lords, column 203WA, on places of religious worship, whether funding has been allocated to the Aetherius Society  (a) from her Department and  (b) under any programmes that her Department funds.

Sadiq Khan: The Aetherius Society has not applied for or received funding from any programme supported by the Department.

Common Purpose: Finance

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding her Department has given to Common Purpose since the Department's establishment.

Sadiq Khan: Communities and Local Government has not provided any funding to Common Purpose. It has however spent £20,950 on six Common Purpose training programmes since the year 2000.

Council Housing: Tamworth

Brian Jenkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many council dwellings have been  (a) sold and  (b) built in Tamworth constituency since 1997.

Iain Wright: The Communities and Local Government (CLG) data related to the sale and new build council homes is based on local authority boundaries rather than constituency boundaries.
	The following table shows the number of "Right to Buy" sales only from 1998-99, as there is no disaggregated data prior to this date. Similarly the data for new build council housing is only available from the year 1999-2000.
	
		
			   Tamworth borough  council council house  right to buy sales  Tamworth borough council—new build  council housing 
			 1996-97 (1)— (1)— 
			 1997-98 (1)— (1)— 
			 1998-99 98 (1)— 
			 1999-2000 147 0 
			 2000-01 116 0 
			 2001-02 164 0 
			 2002-03 226 0 
			 2003-04 240 0 
			 2004-05 139 0 
			 2005-06 85 0 
			 2006-07 28 0 
			 2007-08 24 0 
			 Total 1,267 0 
			 (1) No data.  Source: Communities and Local Government

Departmental Billing

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what percentage of its suppliers her Department has paid within 10 days of receipt of invoice in each of the last five months.

Sadiq Khan: The percentage of CLG suppliers paid within 10 days of receipt of invoice in each of the last five months is as follows:
	
		
			   Percentage paid within 10 days 
			  2008  
			 November 77.89 
			 December 85.23 
			  2009  
			 January 86.22 
			 February 88.11 
			 March 88.33

Departmental Travel

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which organisation was the successful bidder for the contract for departmental travel with OGCbuying.solutions project code project_17667; and what the total value of the contract is.

Sadiq Khan: The tenders for this contract are still being evaluated and no award has been made. The Department anticipates an award notice being made by the end of May. No fixed value was quoted in the award but approximate figures on the Department's current annual travel expenditure were quoted as follows:
	
		
			   £ 
			 Rail 800,000 
			 Air 200,000 
			 Hotel 400,000 
			 Car 20,000 
		
	
	When the contract is awarded it will be open to the Department's executive agencies and non-departmental bodies.

Empty Property

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes had been empty for more than six months in  (a) England,  (b) the North East,  (c) Tees Valley and  (d) Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland constituency on the latest date for which figures are available.

Iain Wright: I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for North West Cambridgeshire (Mr. Vara) on 16 December 2008,  Official Report, column 586W. Data are not available at a constituency level.

Housing Benefit

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what percentage of tenants of  (a) registered social landlords and  (b) local authorities were in receipt of housing benefit in each of the last three years.

Iain Wright: Estimates of the percentages of registered social landlord tenants and local authority tenants in receipt of housing benefit in 2004-05, 2005-06 and 2006-07 are provided in the following table. These estimates are based on data from the Survey of English Housing.
	
		
			  Social sector households in receipt of housing benefit, England, 2004-05 to 2006-07 
			  Percentage 
			   Tenure 
			   Local authority  Registered social landlord( 1)  All social renters 
			 2004-05 62 61 61 
			 2005-06 62 60 61 
			 2006-07 63 63 63 
			 (1) Sometimes referred to as housing associations.  Source: Communities and Local Government, Survey of English Housing

Housing Market

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what estimate has been made of the net cost to the public purse of the changes to the measures to support the housing market announced in the Budget 2009 in each of the next three years.

Iain Wright: The measures to support the housing market include a £605 million funding package for house building (including a housing environmental package), £90 million to extend the stamp duty land tax holiday, £235 million to help those facing difficulties with their mortgage payments, and £120 million extra support for the devolved administrations. The costs and receipts (where applicable), over each of the next three years, are reported in tables 1 and 2. The differences between Table 1 and Table 2 represent the net cost to the public purse.
	
		
			  Table 1: Budget 2009 housing market measure, costs (£ million)( 1) 
			   2009-10  2010-11  2011-12  Total 
			 Stalled sites 320 80 0 400 
			 LA house building 30 70 0 100 
			 Housing environmental package 75 30 0 105 
			 Stamp duty land Tax Holiday 90 0 0 90 
			 Additional resources for preventing repossessions and evictions(2) 50 50 0 100 
			 Support for Mortgage Interest (SMI) 135 0 0 135 
			 Extra devolved administration funding (Barnett formula) 85 35 0 120 
			 Total 785 265 0 1,050 
			 (1) Figures are rounded to the nearest £5 million (2) Includes MRS 
		
	
	Receipts back to the Government will accrue from elements of the stalled sites package, specifically from the Equity, Gap and Infrastructure and Homebuy Direct measures:
	
		
			  Table 2: Budget 2009 housing market measure receipts (£ million) 
			   Stalled sites 
			   
			 2009-10 0 
			 2010-11 110 
			 2011-12 10 
			 Total 120

Housing: Low Incomes

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many affordable homes have been built in  (a) Hemel Hempstead and  (b) Hertfordshire in each year since 1997.

Iain Wright: Information on affordable housing completions is collected by the East of England Regional Assembly using returns from local authorities. It is available by borough/district council for the years since 2001 only.
	The following table sets out the numbers of affordable housing completions and this amount as a percentage of total housing completions.
	
		
			  Hemel Hempstead (Dacorum Borough) 
			   Affordable housing completions (net)  Total housing completions (net)  Affordable housing as a percentage of total completions 
			 2001-02 44 318 14 
			 2002-03 101 642 16 
			 2003-04 28 430 7 
			 2004-05 55 301 18 
			 2005-06 -29 167 0 
			 2006-07 137 413 33 
			 2007-08 118 391 30 
			 Total 454 2,662 17 
			  Note: The figure for affordable housing completions in 2005/06 (-29) includes demolition of council affordable housing stock. 
		
	
	
		
			  Hertfordshire 
			   Affordable housing completions (net)  Total housing completions (net)  Affordable housing as a percentage of total completions 
			 2001-02 489 3,151 16 
			 2002-03 577 3,214 18 
			 2003-04 589 3,085 19 
			 2004-05 862 4,043 21 
			 2005-06 842 4,054 21 
			 2006-07 1,222 4,343 28 
			 2007-08 1,168 4,277 27 
			 Total 5,749 26,167 22 
			  Note: Figures are provided by the East of England Regional Assembly and may show minor differences to local authority's own annual monitoring data.

Housing: Low Incomes

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government 
	(1)  what additional funding will be provided to the Homebuy Direct scheme as a result of the Budget 2009; and how many additional homes it is expected to purchase;
	(2)  how many homes she expects to be purchased under the Homebuy Direct scheme in each of the next three years.

Margaret Beckett: I announced in December 2008 that sufficient funding had been made available to help up to 18,000 first-time buyers enter affordable home ownership through the HomeBuy Direct scheme by the end of 2009-10. The actual number of transactions will depend on take-up.
	£400 million of additional funding will be made available as a result of the Budget to unlock currently stalled housing developments, leveraging in private development finance through a combination of reducing up-front costs with equity, gap and infrastructure funding, and additional funding for social and affordable housing. We estimate that this will provide up to 5,000 properties over the next two years to help first-time buyers, including through our HomeBuy Direct and Rent to HomeBuy schemes. The precise amount of additional funding provided to the HomeBuy Direct scheme will depend on the sites that come forward from developers, and ultimately on take-up by buyers.

Housing: Low Incomes

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 23 April 2009,  Official Report, columns 886-87W, on housing: low incomes, how much of the funding originally intended for allocation to local authorities in 2010-11 has been brought forward for use in  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10.

Sadiq Khan: Communities and Local Government brought forward £1,475 million from 2010-11 as a result of initiatives announced in the September Housing Package and pre-Budget report. £250 million of this had been allocated for the Decent Homes programme. £130 has been brought forward to 2008-09 and £120 million to 2009-10.
	In addition, the Department has already allocated £162 million to local authorities from a total pot of up to £175 million brought forward from 2010-11 to 2009-10 to accelerate major repairs to council housing stock.

Housing: Low Incomes

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many new build social homes were built in each  (a) region and  (b) local authority area in each year since 1997.

Iain Wright: A table showing the number of new homes built for social rent by region and local authority for each year from 1997-98 has been deposited in the Library.
	The social rent new build figures are from the Homes and Communities Agency Investment Management System (IMS), and Housing Strategy Statistical Appendix (HSSA) returns and P2 house building returns submitted to CLG by local authorities.
	Not all social rented housing is provided by new build completions, as some supply can come from acquisitions. For example, an additional 3,980 social rented homes were acquired in England in 2007-08; these are not included in the table.

Housing: Planning Permission

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many applications for planning permission to build new dwellings were  (a) made and  (b) granted in the last 20 quarters for which figures are available.

Iain Wright: Information on the number of applications for planning permission to build new dwellings in the last 20 quarters is not held centrally.
	The number of planning permissions granted to build new dwellings for the last 20 quarters in England is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Period  Number granted (thousand) 
			  2004  
			 January to March 12.4 
			 April to June 13.0 
			 July to September 13.7 
			 October to December 13.3 
			   
			  2005  
			 January to March 12.6 
			 April to June 13.3 
			 July to September 13.2 
			 October to December 12.7 
			   
			  2006  
			 January to March 12.1 
			 April to June 12.7 
			 July to September 12.9 
			 October to December 11.8 
			   
			  2007  
			 January to March 12.1 
			 April to June 12.5 
			 July to September 12.7 
			 October to December 13.0 
			   
			  2008  
			 January to March 12.1 
			 April to June 12.1 
			 July to September 11.2 
			 October to December 10.1 
			  Source: Communities and Local Government General Development Control Returns PS2/PSF

Housing: Prices

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the average house price in 2008-09 prices was in each region in each of the last 10 years.

Iain Wright: Communities and Local Government currently have house price data up to February 2009. The following table shows regional mix-adjusted house prices at 2008 prices calculated using regional mix-adjusted average purchase prices of domestic dwellings based on data from the Regulated Mortgage Survey and the ONS Retail Prices Index.
	
		
			  Mix-adjusted house prices by region at 2008 prices 
			   North East  North West  Yorkshire and the Humber  East Midlands  West Midlands  East  London  South East  South West  England 
			 1999 82,941 93,709 87,847 92,897 105,601 133,147 195,981 161,671 119,700 129,882 
			 2000 84,002 98,285 90,077 101,231 116,109 149,740 220,384 185,690 133,954 144,212 
			 2001 86,336 105,428 96,471 110,593 122,955 160,718 233,444 199,615 147,375 152,639 
			 2002 100,440 120,837 114,733 135,939 147,042 192,915 252,299 228,651 178,940 175,645 
			 2003 112,068 129,089 127,156 157,830 157,454 215,030 280,171 252,494 202,075 196,476 
			 2004 139,511 153,762 151,038 174,117 178,050 226,865 295,987 262,001 220,237 212,829 
			 2005 147,467 163,462 160,296 178,210 183,413 228,466 297,954 260,746 222,889 216,027 
			 2006 151,239 165,471 165,459 176,246 184,173 229,153 305,163 260,942 224,470 217,616 
			 2007 153,986 168,452 170,076 179,332 185,493 240,261 342,257 277,564 233,413 230,029 
			 2008 144,528 157,685 159,253 166,079 172,059 228,737 331,454 265,829 218,281 218,327 
		
	
	In January of each year the mix adjustment weights are revised to reflect the pattern of property transactions during the previous three years. The mix-adjusted average prices for the rest of the year are then determined using the new weights. Consequently house prices between years cannot be compared because the years' weights are different.

Housing: Sales

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many homes have been purchased through the First Time Buyers Initiative in each month since the scheme's inception.

Iain Wright: The number of homes that have been purchased to date through the First Time Buyers Initiative in each month since the scheme's inception is as follows:
	
		
			  FTBI exchanges and completions 
			   Exchanges by month  Exchanges cumulative  Completions by month  Completions cumulative 
			 November 2006 0 0 0 0 
			 December 2006 1 1 1 1 
			 January 2007 5 6 4 5 
			 February 2007 6 12 2 7 
			 March 2007 32 44 16 23 
			 April 2007 63 107 32 55 
			 May 2007 101 208 47 102 
			 June 2007 137 345 108 210 
			 July 2007 85 430 33 243 
			 August 2007 84 514 49 292 
			 September 2007 108 622 109 401 
			 October 2007 87 709 80 481 
			 November 2007 67 776 72 553 
			 December 2007 78 854 92 645 
			 January 2008 46 900 73 718 
			 February 2008 64 964 54 772 
			 March 2008 83 1,047 71 843 
			 April 2008 95 1,142 88 931 
			 May 2008 89 1,231 79 1,010 
			 June 2008 126 1,357 172 1,182 
			 July 2008 71 1,428 56 1,238 
			 August 2008 62 1,490 52 1,290 
			 September 2008 76 1,566 131 1,421 
			 October 2008 73 1,639 74 1,495 
			 November 2008 65 1,704 61 1,556 
			 December 2008 91 1,795 161 1,717 
			 January 2009 36 1,831 27 1,744 
			 February 2009 47 1,878 51 1,795 
			 March 2009 77 1,955 72 1,867

Housing: Standards

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent progress her Department has made towards its aspiration to build all housing to Lifetime Homes Standards.

Iain Wright: It remains our aspiration, as stated in "Lifetime Homes, Lifetime Neighbourhoods: A National Strategy for Housing in an Ageing Society", published by my Department in February 2008, that by 2013 all new homes will be being built to Lifetime Homes Standards. We are committed to a review of the take-up of the standards in 2010, with a view to bringing forward regulation in 2013 should take-up not match expectations.

Local Government Finance

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assessment she has made of the effectiveness of the operation of the comprehensive area assessments.

Sadiq Khan: It is too early to have made any assessment of the effectiveness of the operation of the new Comprehensive Area Assessment (CAA), since it was only introduced from 1 April 2009.
	The first CAA reports are expected to be published in late November 2009.

Local Government: Pensions

Philip Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what progress has been made in implementing reform of the Local Government Pension Scheme; and if she will make a statement.

John Healey: The statutory consultation regulations to begin the reform of the Local Government Pension Scheme was launched in a ministerial written statement to the House on 23 November 2006,  Official Report, column 69WS. Subsequently, new arrangements came into operation on 1 April 2008.

Local Government: Publicity

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what the timetable is for changes to the Guidance on Local Authority Publicity; and whether an impact assessment has been produced in relation to its potential effect on local newspapers.

Sadiq Khan: The recent consultation on proposed changes to the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity closed on 12 March and the Department is currently considering the responses. The outcome of the consultation will help us decide what if any changes are to be made to the publicity code, and it will be at this point that we will undertake any impact or regulatory assessment before finalising the decision.

Local Government: Publicity

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on publishing their own newspapers.

Sadiq Khan: The Code of Recommended Practice on local authority publicity, which all local authorities must have regard to, applies to all publicity issued by a local authority, whatever the form of the publication.

Mortgages: Government Assistance

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what expenditure her Department has incurred on establishing the  (a) Mortgage Rescue Scheme and  (b) Homeowners Mortgage Support Scheme.

Margaret Beckett: The Mortgage Rescue Scheme was established as part of ongoing work on the Department's homelessness prevention programme. The impact assessment for the homeowners mortgage support scheme will be published shortly, alongside the scheme launch.

Planning Permission

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many planning permissions were  (a) applied for and  (b) granted in the last quarter for which figures are available.

Iain Wright: The number of planning permissions applied for and granted in England, in the last quarter for which figures are available is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Period  Number received  Number granted 
			 October to December 2008 111,000 91,000 
			  Source: Communities and Local Government General Development Control Returns PSF

Planning Permission: Aviation

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what changes to planning guidance there have been relating to the development of airfields since 2005.

Iain Wright: There have been no changes to planning guidance relating to the development of airfields since 2005.

Planning Permission: Sustainable Development

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent steps she has taken to increase efficiency, effectiveness and transparency in the planning system; and what recent steps she has taken to ensure that the planning system facilitates sustainable development.

Iain Wright: Since 1997 we have made significant progress in improving the planning system.
	Through the Planning and Compulsory Purchase Act 2004 and Planning Policy Statement 1 (PPS1) we have put the delivery of sustainable development at heart of the planning system. Alongside PPS1 we have introduced clear national policy on the role of planning in addressing climate change: tackling climate change is now firmly at the centre of what is expected from good planning.
	More recently, the Planning Act 2008 provides for the creation of a more efficient, effective and transparent development consent regime for nationally significant infrastructure projects. It provides for ministers to set out the national need for infrastructure in National Policy Statements, a new single consent regime to replace the eight existing development consent regimes for nationally significant infrastructure projects, and the establishment of an independent Infrastructure Planning Commission to examine and (where a relevant National Policy Statement is in force) determine applications made under this new regime, at the same time locking more meaningful public involvement into each stage of the process. The aim is to reduce the time taken from application to decision to under a year in the majority of cases, saving up to an estimated £300 million a year. Under the Act, Ministers must, when preparing National Policy Statements, do so with the objective of contributing to the achievement of sustainable development, and all NPSs will be subject to an appraisal of sustainability, ensuring that sustainable development is at the heart of the new regime.
	In late 2008, we introduced changes to permitted development for certain householder extensions and loft conversions, which is expected to remove about 80,000 applications a year from the system.
	The process of planning reform is continuing. In March this year, the Government set out their response to the Killian Pretty review, which sets out an ambitious programme of further improvements to the efficiency and effectiveness of the planning application process.
	In addition, the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Bill introduces a clear duty for responsible regional authorities, when preparing their new integrated regional strategies, to exercise their functions with the objective of contributing to the achievement of sustainable development. There is also a requirement for regional strategies to include policies designed to contribute to the mitigation of, and adaptation to, climate change.

Regeneration: Preston

Ben Wallace: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what representations she has received from hon. Members on the redevelopment of Preston city centre.

Iain Wright: While other objectors have raised issues on the redevelopment of Preston city centre Tithebarn scheme, no representations have been received from hon. Members on this scheme.

Regional Planning and Development

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how much funding for infrastructure was allocated by her Department to the Milton Keynes/South Midlands Growth Area in  (a) 2006-07,  (b) 2007-08 and  (c) 2008-09.

Iain Wright: The Department for Communities and Local Government provides funding to support local infrastructure in growth areas and growth points through the Growth Fund and the Community Infrastructure Fund, which is a joint fund with the Department for Transport. The Growth Fund and Community Infrastructure Fund are additional to mainstream departmental funding in areas such as health, education and national transport networks.
	Funding is allocated to local authorities, and to transport authorities for the Community Infrastructure Fund, rather than on a growth area-wide basis. The funding allocated to growth locations through the Growth Fund and Community Infrastructure Fund in 2006-07, 2007-08, and 2008-09 is shown in table 1. The total funding allocated to locations across the Milton Keynes South Midlands (MKSM) growth area over this period was £298.2 million.
	In addition, funding allocations for 2009-10 and 2010-11, and the second round of the Community Infrastructure Fund, have now been announced, and are shown in table 2. A further £128.08 million funding has been allocated to growth locations across the Milton Keynes South Midlands growth area over this period.
	
		
			  Table 1: funding across the MKSM growth area 2006-09 
			  £ million 
			   Growth  f unds  Community Infrastructure Fund, round 1 
			  Places  2006-07  2007-08  2008 -09( 1)  Total  2006- 07  to  200 7- 08 
			 Aylesbury Vale 5.28 7.45 4.78 17.51 22.63 
			 Milton Keynes 11.04 10.15 10.2 31.39 33.42 
			 West Northants 22.34 17.71 13.38 53.43 19.92 
			 North Northants 5.4 15.77 11.98 33.15 7.4 
			 Luton/South Beds 6.69 9.59 10.69 26.97 14.5 
			 Bedford/Marston Vale 5.62 14.5 5.8 25.92 0 
			 Northamptonshire County(2) 5.49 6.5 0 11.99 0 
			 Sub total 61.86 81.67 56.83 200.36 97.87 
			 Total growth funds and CIF funds298.23  
			  Note: £17.7 million from the CIF1 allocation was carried forward into 2008-09 to support seven projects whose timetable had slipped. (1) 2008-09—figures show the first of three year unringfenced block funding allocations covering the period 2008-09 to 2010-11. (2) Northamptonshire County—figures include strategic projects to support the county as a whole. 
		
	
	
		
			  Table 2: funding across the MKSM growth area 2009-11 
			  £ million 
			   Growth funds  Community Infrastructure Fund, round 2 
			  Places  2009-10  2010-11  Total  2009-10 to 2010-11 
			 Aylesbury Vale 4.7 4.74 9.44 4.55 
			 Milton Keynes 9.1 9.13 18.23 5.6 
			 West Northants 12.74 12.48 25.22 6.87 
			 North Northants 11.55 11.59 23.14 6.6 
			 Luton/South Beds 5.82 5.33 11.15 l 
			 Bedford /Marston Vale 8.12 8.16 16.28 0 
			 Sub total 52.03 51.43 103.46 24.62 
			 Total growth funds and CIF 128.08

Rented Housing: Public Consultation

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the answer of 23 March 2009,  Official Report, column 79W, on tenant services authority, how many people attended each National Conversation event for  (a) landlords and  (b) tenants.

Iain Wright: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning to my hon. Friend the Member for Luton, South (Margaret Moran) on 26 March 2009,  Official Report, column 732W.

Temporary Accommodation

John Bercow: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many people were in temporary accommodation in England in  (a) 2004,  (b) 2005,  (c) 2006,  (d) 2007 and  (e) 2008.

Iain Wright: Information about English local housing authorities' actions under the homelessness legislation (part 7 of the Housing Act 1996) is collected quarterly at local authority level, about households rather than individuals.
	Data collected include the number of households accepted by local housing authorities as eligible for assistance, unintentionally homeless and in priority need, and therefore owed a main homelessness duty (to secure that suitable accommodation is available). If a settled home is not immediately available, the authority must secure temporary accommodation until a settled home becomes so.
	Information on the numbers of households housed in temporary accommodation is reported quarterly by local authorities as at the last day of each quarter. The figure includes: those households which have been accepted as owed the main homelessness duty; those for which enquiries are pending; those being accommodated for a limited period because they have been found intentionally homeless and in priority need; those being accommodated pending possible referral to another authority, and those being accommodated pending the outcome of a local authority review or county court appeal.
	The number of households in temporary accommodation at the end of each quarter is published in table 7 of the Statistical Release on Statutory Homelessness. Quarter four within this table is based on 31 December, which represents the end of calendar year figure. This is available on the web and in the Library:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/1173159.xls
	Please see the following table:
	
		
			  Households in temporary accommodation on 31st December each year from 2004 to 2008 
			   Households in temporary accommodation 
			 2004 101,030 
			 2005 98,730 
			 2006 89,510 
			 2007 79,500 
			 2008 67,480

Zero Carbon Hub

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government pursuant to the Answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Bromley and Chislehurst (Robert Neill) of 23 April 2009,  Official Report, column 892W, on the zero carbon hub, if she will place in the Library a copy of each regular report made to date.

Iain Wright: The reports referred to are being made available on the Zero Carbon Hub's website:
	www.zerocarbonhub.org

DEFENCE

Armed Forces: Rescue Services

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many military helicopters have been available to provide search and rescue cover in each of the last 12 months;
	(2)  how many search and rescue helicopters were available on average to provide cover for such activities in each year since 2003.

Bob Ainsworth: The average number of UK based Search and Rescue Royal Navy and RAF helicopters available for tasking in each year since 2003 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Average number of helicopters 
			 2003 24 
			 2004 24 
			 2005 25 
			 2006 26 
			 2007 26 
			 2008 26 
		
	
	Helicopter availability in each of the last 12 months is shown in the following table:
	
		
			   Average number of helicopters 
			  2008  
			 April 26 
			 May 26 
			 June 25 
			 July 25 
			 August 25 
			 September 26 
			 October 26 
			 November 26 
			 December 25 
			   
			  2009  
			 January 25 
			 February 25 
			 March 26

Armed Forces: Rescue Services

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many search and rescue training exercises have taken place  (a) in each year since 2003 and  (b) in each of the last 12 months.

Bob Ainsworth: The training undertaken by UK based military search and rescue (SAR) helicopter crews can range from daily training flights devised by the crews in order to refresh particular skills and maintain operational effectiveness, to pre-planned exercises involving the emergency services.
	Data on daily training flights, which represent the majority of the training undertaken by RAF SAR crews, are not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, data are available on the number of pre-planned training exercises the RAF has undertaken with the emergency services. This information is provided in the following table for the period 1 January 2003 to 31 December 2008 and the 12 months from April 2008.
	
		
			   Number of exercises 
			 2003 29 
			 2004 15 
			 2005 23 
			 2006 20 
			 2007 19 
			 2008 18 
		
	
	
		
			  Month  Number of exercises 
			  2008  
			 April 1 
			 May 1 
			 June 0 
			 July 2 
			 August 3 
			 September 2 
			 October 0 
			 November 5 
			 December 1 
			   
			  2009  
			 January 0 
			 February 1 
			 March 4 
		
	
	The available information on the number of Royal Navy SAR training flights is compiled on a different basis and does not differentiate between daily training flights and multi-agency training exercises. The following table shows the training flights undertaken by Royal Navy SAR crews in each of the last 12 months. Data for the period 1 January 2003 to 31 March 2008 are only held in archives and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	
		
			  Number of rescue training exercises flown 
			   771 NAS, RNAS Culdrose  Gannett SAR Fit, Prestwick 
			 April 2008 38 49 
			 May 2008 43 42 
			 June 2008 43 55 
			 July 2008 44 38 
			 August 2008 34 34 
			 September 2008 44 44 
			 October 2008 44 39 
			 November 2008 42 46 
			 December 2008 43 44 
			 January 2009 41 37 
			 February 2009 40 38 
			 March 2009 45 28

RAF Welford: Security

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for Lewes of 17 November 2008,  Official Report, column 153W, on RAF Welford, whether the security enhancements at RAF Welford have been completed; and whether a complement of Ministry of Defence police remains stationed at the base.

Bob Ainsworth: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 17 November 2008,  Official Report, column 153W, to the hon. Member for Lewes (Norman Baker). Although significant progress has been made, the security enhancements at RAF Welford are not yet complete. The Ministry of Defence police will not be withdrawn from RAF Welford until the necessary security enhancements at the base have been completed.

ELECTORAL COMMISSION COMMITTEE

Liberal Democrats: Donations

Francis Maude: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what progress the Electoral Commission has made in its investigation into the permissibility of donations by 5th Avenue Partners and Mr. Michael Brown to the Liberal Democrat Party.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that the investigation into the permissibility of donations made to the Liberal Democrat party by 5th Avenue Partners is continuing. The Commission further informs me that its aim remains to conclude the investigation as quickly as possible, but that its priority must be to ensure that the process is fair and thorough.

Political Parties: Accountancy

Francis Maude: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what revised timetable the Electoral Commission has established to take forward its Standardisation of Statement of Accounts initiative.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that it intends to announce details of the revised timetable before the summer recess.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Cayman Islands: Financial Services

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration he has given to directing the Governor of the Cayman Islands to comply with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's requirements on tax disclosure, financial regulation and oversight; and if he will make a statement.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 28 April 2009
	 In the Cayman Islands, finance is a constitutionally devolved competence, which gives primary responsibility for legislation and regulation to the Government of the Cayman Islands.
	The Government continually underline to all territories the importance of meeting international standards on information exchange, in the context of both taxation and regulatory matters. At the overseas territories consultative council meeting in November last year territories were encouraged to make progress towards the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) standards on tax transparency. The Governor repeated this message prior to the G20 Summit.
	The Cayman Islands was one of the first jurisdictions to commit to the OECD international standard on exchange of information in 2000. The Leader of Government Business in the Cayman Islands re-committed to this standard in March 2009 and Cayman has signed eight tax information exchange agreements to date. Last year it introduced a unilateral legal mechanism for the provision of tax information assistance pursuant to which they have extended assistance to a further 12 other jurisdictions. This approach is currently being considered by the OECD with a view to confirming whether it meets their standard. The Cayman Islands, along with other relevant overseas territories, is also compliant with the requirements of the EU savings tax directive.
	My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in his letter to the Government of the Cayman Islands following the summit stressed the need for them to at least match the global pace on the exchange of tax information and urged them to meet the OECD standard in time for the UN General Assembly meetings in September. He has also encouraged them to meet any new international standards which may emerge. The Government will continue to work with all the overseas territories to support them in reaching these targets.

Cayman Islands: Financial Services

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reason responsibility for  (a) financial regulation and oversight and  (b) compliance with (i) obligations imposed by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development and (ii) other treaty obligations relating to financial regulation and oversight and disclosure are matters reserved to the Governor of the Cayman Islands.

Gillian Merron: holding answer 28 April 2009
	 Financial regulation and oversight are not matters reserved to the Governor of the Cayman Islands. Responsibility has been devolved to the Cayman Islands Government.
	Compliance with treaty obligations extending to the Cayman Islands, including those relating to financial matters, is primarily the responsibility of the territory Government, and we expect them to comply fully with those obligations. However, the UK is ultimately responsible for the territories' compliance with treaty obligations under international law.
	Under the 1972 (current) Cayman Islands Constitution the Governor is the Queen's representative in the territory and has responsibility for external relations and, therefore, the territory Ministers have no power or authority to enter into a binding international commitment unless authorised by entrustment from the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

Community Relations: Contracts

Paul Goodman: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 10 March 2009,  Official Report, column 226W, on terrorism: finance, whether any of the projects to tackle radicalisation and promote understanding overseas are being delivered by subcontractors.

Bill Rammell: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) provides funding to a range of organisations to deliver projects which tackle radicalisation and promote tolerance. These organisations are primarily responsible for delivery of projects but are able, under the grant agreement, to sub-contract parts of the project to other organisations or individuals, for example where specialist skills or knowledge are required.
	Implementers are chosen according to a rigorous selection board, and their own implementation of the project held to account on a regular basis by review, monitoring and evaluation. This includes the implementer's financial management and choice of subcontractors. Choice of subcontractors must be undertaken in accordance with proper procurement principles. The FCO, as the contracting authority, retains the right to dismiss any subcontractor whose performance is demonstrated to be unsatisfactory through the regular monitoring and evaluation processes.

Council of Europe

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the UK Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe on the choice of the next Secretary General of the Council of Europe.

Caroline Flint: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London and the UK Permanent Representative to the Council of Europe and her team have remained in close touch on this issue since the process for selection of the next Secretary General was launched in July last year. Good leadership is key to delivery of our strategic objective of international institutional reform. We have been in the forefront in working for a fair, open, competence-based selection process.

Democratic Republic of Congo: Human Rights

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on the safety and whereabouts of Dolly Inefo Mbunga, Floribert Chebeya Bahizire and Donat Tshikaya following their arrests in Kinshasa; and what recent representations he has made to the government of the Democratic Republic of Congo on the disappearance of human rights workers.

Gillian Merron: Dolly Inefo Mbunga, Floribert Chibeya Bahizire and Donat Tshikaya were released on 17 March 2009, and are now at liberty.
	The EU presidency, the European Commission and the EU's Special Representative to the Great Lakes region raised the issue in meetings with Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) Ministers shortly after the men's arrest. UN officials also made representations to the DRC authorities about this incident.
	Officials from EU member states, who co-operate closely on human rights questions in DRC, have discussed the arrest with Mr. Chibeya and agreed to follow this issue.
	The UK, through its aid programme, is also funding projects to help civil society organisations play an effective role and to encourage accountability in the security services.

Iran: Nuclear Weapons

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the answer of 15 September 2008,  Official Report, column 2185W, on Iran: nuclear weapons, if his Department will assess the effect of  (a) EU and  (b) UN sanctions on the Iranian (i) economy and (ii) nuclear and ballistic weapons programmes.

David Miliband: There are no plans at present to issue a formal study on the effect of EU and UN sanctions on the Iranian economy and nuclear and ballistic weapons programmes. However, we regularly monitor the impact of sanctions on Iran.
	Our assessment is that UN sanctions have made it more difficult for Iran to procure items for its nuclear and ballistic weapons programmes. Sanctions continue to affect parts of the Iranian economy, particularly through the disruption of the international operations of a number of Iranian companies and those Iranian banks listed in the sanctions. Anecdotal evidence from sources inside Iran indicates that sanctions have increased the inconvenience and general cost of doing business.
	EU sanctions, which implement and go beyond UN measures, have had a similar effect on a larger number of individuals and entities.

Israel: EU External Trade

Phyllis Starkey: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has obtained a legal opinion on the duty of recognition in international law to assist in formulation of policy on the labelling of goods from Israeli settlements.

Bill Rammell: The Government are currently considering the issue of the labelling of products imported from Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, including relevant domestic and international law issues.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

Clare Short: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to investigate and report on the use of UK-supplied weapons during Israel's military operation in Gaza; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: I refer the right hon. Member to the written ministerial statement made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 21 April 2009,  Official Report, column 8WS.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions  (a) he,  (b) Ministers and  (c) officials in his Department plan to have with governments of Arab states in respect of the alleged murder of persons in the Gaza Strip by Hamas members since December 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: We condemn all attacks targeting innocent civilians. The UK is clear in its calls for Hamas to renounce all violence, and to adhere to international law. Ministers remain in close touch with their counterparts in Israel and around the Arab world.

Middle East: Armed Conflict

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he  (a) has taken and  (b) plans to take at the United Nations in respect of the alleged murder of persons in the Gaza Strip by Hamas members since December 2008; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: The Government condemn all attacks targeting innocent civilians. The UK led the way at the UN to achieve Security Council Resolution 1860 which clearly condemns all violence directed against civilians and all acts of terrorism. It also spelt out that a lasting solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can only be achieved by peaceful means.

Pakistan

Claire Curtis-Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Pakistani Government on  (a) power-sharing arrangements between the provincial and federal governments in and  (b) the distribution of funding to different parts of that country; and if he will make a statement.

Bill Rammell: These issues are raised as part of our ongoing co-operation with the Government of Pakistan in its efforts to establish strong democratic frameworks at federal and provincial levels.
	During a visit to Pakistan in July 2008, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) offered to share UK experience of public administration of central and local government. This was reiterated when the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State visited Pakistan in April 2009.
	During discussions involving officials from our High Commission in Islamabad, in preparation for the 17 April 2009 Tokyo Donors' Conference, Pakistan's Secretary for Finance recognised that the Government of Pakistan's budgetary allocation gives insufficient weight to the North West Frontier Province, Baluchistan and the Federally administered tribal areas. Pakistan wants assistance from the World Bank to establish a Trust Fund for the border areas which will also provide for governance reform there. The UK supports this initiative.
	The UK also supports the Government of Pakistan in distributing funding throughout Pakistan through the Department for International Development's (DSD) Development Partnership Arrangement. DFTD gives budget support to the Government of Pakistan to help it increase spending on sectors such as health and education, and to reduce poverty. DFTD works to improve the capacity of provincial governments to manage their human and financial resources. DFTD is also planning substantial support for the education sector in the provinces of Punjab, Balochistan and North West Frontier province.

Pakistan: Politics and Government

William Hague: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Pakistan on the implications of the recent agreement between the Government of Pakistan and militants in the Malakand region of the Swat Valley for  (a) the security situation in Pakistan and Afghanistan and  (b) human rights in the Malakand region; and if he will make a statement.

David Miliband: I last discussed the broader political and security situation in North West Frontier Province with Prime Minister Zardari on Friday 24 April 2009, and with Foreign Minister Qureshi on Saturday 25 April. My officials have repeatedly raised the situation in Malakand with the Government of Pakistan, and have expressed our concerns about the recent agreement with militants, which has not led to lasting security in Pakistan, and also has implications for regional security. We are also concerned about reports of human rights abuses by militants in Swat. We welcome the Government of Pakistan's commitment to fight back against violent extremism. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has presented to Parliament the UK policy in Afghanistan and Pakistan (29 April 2009,  Official Report, column 869) and made clear that we will intensify our support to Pakistan's efforts to take stronger ownership of the problems of terrorism and violent extremism.

Russia: BBC External Services

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on how many occasions he has met experts on Russia, international affairs and broadcasting to discuss the BBC Russia Service since 2008; and what the outcome of such discussions has been.

Caroline Flint: Since 2008, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has not met with any experts to discuss the BBC World Service Russian Language Service. He has met with experts on Russia to discuss and inform the development of overall policy to Russia, most recently in June 2008.

Sudan: Politics and Government

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effect on the political situation in the Chad-Sudan border area of the recent activities of Chadian armed opposition groups in Western Darfur; and what recent discussions the UK Special Representative for Sudan has had with the governments of Chad and Sudan on security in that area.

Gillian Merron: There are frequent reports of large groups from both the Justice and Equality Movement—a Darfuri rebel group—and the Chadian armed opposition on both sides of the Chad-Sudan border. There have, however, been no recent reports of movement. The UN-African Union hybrid mission in Darfur (UNAMID) continues to monitor the situation. The UK Special Representative for Sudan has had no recent discussions with the governments of Sudan or Chad on this issue.

Sudan: Politics and Government

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the effects of the recent conflict between the Lou Nuer and Murle tribes on the security situation in Southern Sudan; and whether there are plans to increase the number of UN peacekeepers in that area.

Gillian Merron: The UK is very concerned by insecurity in Southern Sudan and most recently by the fighting between Lou Nuer and Murle tribes in Jonglei state. This fighting has had a negative effect on the security situation in the South and increases concern of such incidents sparking more widespread conflict.
	The UN Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) are monitoring the situation in Jonglei and have dispatched a team to assess security and humanitarian needs. UNMIS have not yet increased the number of peacekeepers in the affected areas but we understand that plans to do so are currently being discussed.

Yemen: Politics and Government

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions his Department has had with the Yemeni government on the security situation in Yemen.

Bill Rammell: Our ambassador maintains a regular dialogue with the Government of Yemen about the security situation there. He discussed this issue most recently with the Minister of Interior on 19 April 2009.

Yemen: Politics and Government

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the UK contribution towards tackling terrorist activity in Yemen.

Bill Rammell: We maintain a wide-ranging dialogue with the Government of Yemen including on issues relating to counter terrorism (CT). We have a programme of CT capacity-building with the Yemeni authorities which aims to develop a self-sustaining Yemeni capability to tackle the terrorist threat. This includes working with the Yemeni Government to develop an inclusive and effective approach to counter extremism.

PRIME MINISTER

Departmental Internet

David Gauke: To ask the Prime Minister whether the recording of his statement on hon. Members' allowances uploaded to his YouTube channel on 21 April required more than one take.

Gordon Brown: The recording is available on the Downing street YouTube channel.

Honours

Gordon Prentice: To ask the Prime Minister 
	(1)  what the names are of those whose honours have been cancelled by the Forfeiture Committee since 1997; and for what reasons each honour was cancelled;
	(2)  how many inquiries the Forfeiture Committee has undertaken following a complaint from  (a) a member of the public,  (b) a professional body or organisation and  (c) an hon. Member since 1990; and how many of these inquiries were instigated at the Committee's own volition.

Gordon Brown: Notice of forfeiture is published in the  London Gazette, copies of which are available in the Libraries of the House. The details of why an individual forfeits an honour are confidential.

TREASURY

Adjudicator's Office

Graham Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many complaints have been made by members of the public about the work of the Adjudicator in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Complaints about the work of the Adjudicator are made to the parliamentary ombudsman. Information available on complaints made to the ombudsman are available in the ombudsman's annual report, available at:
	http://www.ombudsman.org.uk/improving services/ annual_reports/index.html

Adjudicator's Office

Graham Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many people were employed  (a) full- time and  (b) part-time at the Adjudicator's Office on the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: Information about the number of people who work in the Adjudicator's Office is provided in the annual reports, available at:
	http://www.adjudicatorsoffice.gov.uk/publications.htm

Adjudicator's Office

Graham Stuart: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what funding his Department has allocated to the Adjudicator's Office in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The information about funding of the Adjudicator's Office is provided in the annual report, available at:
	http://www.adjudicatorsoffice.gov.uk/publications.htm

Banks: Iran

William Hague: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions since November 2008 his Department has exercised its powers under Schedule 7 of the Counter Terrorism Act 2008 in respect of Iran; and if he will make a statement.

Ian Pearson: In its advisory notice of 11 March 2009 HM Treasury made clear that in the light of the call by the Financial Action Task Force for countermeasures against Iran, the UK is considering what further action is required.
	No directions with respect to Iran have been issued under Schedule 7 of the Counter Terrorism Act 2008.

Departmental Correspondence

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters from hon. Members his Department received in  (a) January and  (b) February 2009; and how many letters received from hon. Members in 2008 were responded to (i) in less than two weeks, (ii) in between two weeks and one month, (iii) in between one and two months and (iv) in over two months.

Angela Eagle: The Cabinet Office, on an annual basis, publishes a report to Parliament on the performance of Departments in replying to Members and Peers correspondence. The report for 2008 will be published shortly.

Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008

Jeremy Browne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  by what date he expects the Reclaim Fund established under the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008 will have transferred funds to the Big Lottery Fund;
	(2)  when the Reclaim Fund will be established under the provisions of the Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008.

Ian Pearson: The Dormant Bank and Building Society Accounts Act 2008 received Royal Assent on 26 November 2008. HM Treasury is consulting on secondary legislation to enable the Financial Services Authority (FSA) to regulate a reclaim fund. The consultation will close on 4 May 2009:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/consult_dormant_accounts_scheme.htm
	The FSA is separately consulting on a proportionate regulatory regime for a reclaim fund. The consultation will close on 30 April 2009:
	http://www.fsa.gov.uk/pages/Library/Policy/CP/2009/09_08.shtml
	The Government intend the scheme to be operational as soon as possible, subject to parliamentary approval.

Excise Duties: Alcoholic Drinks

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations his Department has received from  (a) hon. Members and  (b) members of the public on charges: the rate of duty on beer in the last 12 months; and how many were (i) in favour and (ii) against increases in duty.

Angela Eagle: Treasury Ministers and officials receive representations from a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such representations.

Excise Duties: Alcoholic Drinks

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will assess the effect of the increase in beer duty announced in the 2009 Budget on  (a) trends in the rate of public house closures and  (b) local economies.

Angela Eagle: As with all tax policy decisions, we will be monitoring the impact of alcohol duty increases on a range of factors.
	I regularly meet representatives from the trade, including the British Beer and Pub Association, to listen to their views on the impact of alcohol duty policy on the pub industry.

Government Departments: Location

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provision he has made in his Department's expenditure estimates for the relocation of government services out of London in each of the next six financial years.

Angela Eagle: The Treasury is a small central Department, working directly to Ministers and Parliament. There are no plans to relocate any Treasury functions out of London in either 2009-10 or 2010-11. Spending plans for the following three years will be settled in the next spending review.

Non-Domestic Rates

Peter Luff: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what provisions he plans to bring forward to introduce automatic rate relief for small businesses in England; and if he will make a statement.

Angela Eagle: The Government are keen to continue to improve the administration of small business rate relief to make it easy to claim and increase its take up. The Chancellor has therefore asked his Department's officials to work with CLG officials to see what can be done to improve the take up of the scheme.

Tax Collection: Languages

Alun Michael: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he has taken to make tax forms in  (a) Polish,  (b) Romanian,  (c) Moldovan and  (d) other European languages available for people whose first language is not English.

Stephen Timms: Forms from HM Revenue and Customs, including tax returns, are not generally made available in languages other than English.
	HMRC offers targeted support in languages other than English for customers:
	Who are new to the UK, and new to the language, to enable them to meet their obligations and get access to services while they are settling in. Examples include a link on the 'Coming to work in the UK' HMRC website page, helpsheets on 'Working in the Construction Industry: new Construction Industry Scheme guidance' and on the Child Trust Fund, and miscellaneous airport and port notices.
	From more established communities, where there is evidence to suggest that they need special help.
	From within the travelling public who are entering or passing through the UK.
	The help HMRC provides takes the form of:
	simple information products, in plain English and key languages (including Polish), with key introductory information and signposting to further information and support; and
	support and tools to better equip staff and intermediaries to help customers complete forms in English and to understand their rights and responsibilities.
	HM Revenue and Customs also provide telephone interpretation services to help customers whose first language is not English when they visit a face to face inquiry centre or speak to staff in contact centres.

Tax Havens: British Overseas Territories

Ashok Kumar: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he plans to take to implement the commitments of the G20 Summit in respect of tax jurisdictions in overseas territories and Crown dependencies; what timetable has been set; and if he will make a statement.

Stephen Timms: The G20 called on all jurisdictions to apply the international standard of exchange of information in tax matters and resolved to take action against jurisdictions that failed to do so. All the UK's overseas territories and Crown dependencies have committed to meeting the standard. A report on progress is included in the interim report of the Foot review, published at the Budget:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/indreview_foot_review_progess_apr09__pu772.pdf
	Where territories have been assessed by the OECD as not yet having substantially met the international standard, the Government will be working with those territories to help them achieve the standard as swiftly as possible.

Welfare Tax Credits

Steve Webb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost to the Exchequer of increasing the first income threshold for tax credits to £10,000, removing the second income threshold and applying a constant taper rate of 44 per cent.

Stephen Timms: holding answer 24 April 2009
	The estimated cost of increasing the first income threshold for tax credits to £10,000, of removing the second income threshold and applying a constant taper rate of 44 per cent. would be £1.4 billion in 2010-11. No account has been taken of possible behavioural effects.
	These changes would not affect the number of claimants eligible for tax credits but would increase the number of claimants with awards reduced to zero.

Welfare Tax Credits: Maladministration

John Mann: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what date HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) wrongly entered the date of birth of the constituent of the hon. Member for Bassetlaw, reference 02005341/ND on its database for tax credit purposes; on what date the tax credit award was terminated in consequence; on what date HMRC plans to reinstate the terminated award; and what compensatory payment HMRC proposes to make.

Stephen Timms: It would not be appropriate for me to comment on the specifics of individuals' tax affairs. HM Revenue and Customs have advised me that they contacted my hon. Friend's constituent on 28 April 2009 about their case.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Departmental Conferences

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the Answer of 16 March 2009,  Official Report, column 840W, on the economic situation, what the cost of his Department's Annual Conference on 9 and 10 March 2009 was, broken down by category of expenditure.

Douglas Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the written answer given today UIN 268013 to the hon. Member for Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk (Mr. Moore).

Departmental Training

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 2 April 2009,  Official Report, column 1464W on Departmental Training, how much was spent by his Department on ministerial training on handling the media as part of their continuing development.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development has spent £4,050 on ministerial media training.

Israel: Borders

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what recent assessment he has made of the implications of the Israeli wall for the well-being of Palestinian people in the West Bank, with particular reference to their access to water; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: The Department for International Development (DFID) has made no recent assessment of the implications of the Israeli wall for Palestinian wellbeing in the West Bank. However, a UN report released in November 2007 found that some Palestinian communities located close to the Barrier or in the closed area between the Barrier and the Green Line had limited or no access to primary health care, that farmers had difficulties in gaining sufficient access to their land with a negative impact on their livelihoods, and that social relations were affected as relatives could not obtain 'visitor' permits to attend family occasions.
	DFID also broadly agrees with a finding from the recent World Bank report, "Assessment of Restrictions on Palestinian Water Sector Development", which states that physical access restrictions and closures, including the Separation Barrier, limit effective water sector management and development in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The report is available on the World Bank website:
	http://www.worldbank.org/

Non-Governmental Organisations

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which non-governmental organisations have received funds from the public purse to conduct aid work in Pakistan in the last five years; and how much each received.

Michael Foster: The following table shows which non-governmental organisations have received funds, and the amounts received, from DFID in Pakistan during the last five financial years (including ICRC and IFRC):
	
		
			  £ millions 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			  2005 Earthquake Relief and Reconstruction, of which: 0 13.4 0.19 0.27 0.6 
			 Oxfam 0 1.56 0 0 0 
			 Islamic Relief 0 0.26 0 0 0 
			 Christian Aid 0 0.66 0 0 0 
			 Save the Children UK 0 1.8 0 0 0 
			 Action Aid 0 0.3 0 0 0 
			 Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN) 0 0.72 0 0 0 
			 Mercy Corps 0 0.21 0 0 0 
			 International Health Partners 0 0.05 0 0 0 
			 Norwegian Refugee Council 0 1.85 0 0 0 
			 CAFOD 0 0.31 0 0 0 
			 International Medical Corps 0 0.29 0 0 0 
			 GOAL 0 0.01 0 0 0 
			 ACTED 0 0.94 0 0 0 
			 Action Against Hunger 0 0.59 0 0 0 
			 Internews 0 0.3 0 0 0 
			 Tearfund 0 0.5 0 0 0 
			 Merlin 0 0.8 0.19 0.27 0.6 
			 Australian Aid International 0 0.2 0 0 0 
			 Handicap International 0 0.3 0 0 0 
			 HAPI 0 0.04 0 0 0 
			 International Rescue Committee 0 0.3 0 0 0 
			 Solidarity 0 0.31 0 0 0 
			 World Vision 0 0.5 0 0 0 
			 Birdlife International 0 0.02 0 0 0 
			 Sarhad Rural Support Programme 0 0.61 0 0 0 
			   
			  2007 Floods—Humanitarian support, of which: 0 0 0 1.55 0 
			 RSPN 0 0 0 0.25 0 
			 IFRC 0 0 0 0.5 0 
			 Oxfam 0 0 0 0.2 0 
			 Islamic Relief 0 0 0 0.2 0 
			 Mercy Corps 0 0 0 0.4 0 
			   
			 2008 Floods/Internally Displaced People—ICRC 0 0 0 0 1.0 
			 Rural Support Programmes Network (RSPN) 0.4 0.1 1.5 2.3 1.75 
			 Aga Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) 0.56 0 0 0 0 
			 Sarhad Rural Support Programme (SRSP)—rural development 0.93 0.01 0 0 0 
			 Kashf 0 0.99 0.63 1 1.75 
			 Pakistan Microfinance Network 0.1 0.06 0.01 0.12 0.12 
			 PAVHNA 0.6 0.05 0 0 0 
			 Marie Stopes Society 0.3 0.22 0 0 0 
			 The Network 0.18 0.26 0.42 0.13 0 
			 Aga Khan Health Services 0.32 0 0 0.01 0 
			 Islamic Relief 0.25 0.42 0.15 0.06 0.02 
			 Futures Group 0.3 0.28 0 0 0 
			 Greenstar 1.3 1.43 2.93 0 0 
			 Heartfile 0 0 0 0.02 0 
			 National Rural Support Programme 0 0 0.01 0.07 0.45 
			 SRSP—rural drinking water 0.33 0.33 0.35 0.41 0.34 
			 The Asia Foundation 0 0 0 0.44 0.44 
			 PILDAT 0.18 0.12 0.08 0 0 
			 Devolution Trust for Community Empowerment 2.75 0 0 4 0 
			 National Democratic Institute 0 0.1 0.2 0 0 
			 Pattan 0 0.13 0.09 0 0 
			 Gender Equality Project 0.65 0.65 0.4 0 0 
			 Gender Justice and Protection Fund 0 0 0 0.38 0.83 
			   
			  Strategic Opportunities Fund, of which: 0 0 0.03 0.1 0.04 
			 The Asia Foundation 0 0 0 0.04 0.01 
			 IUCN 0 0 0 0.05 0 
			 Sustainable Development Policy Institute 0 0 0 0.01 0 
			   
			 Concern Worldwide 0 0.09 0.09 0.1 0.12 
			 Sight Savers 0 0 0 0 0.06 
			 Marie Stopes International 0.03 0.12 0.12 0.12 0.01 
			 Birdlife International 0 0.03 0.08 0.1 0.16 
			 Interact Worldwide 0.04 0.14 0.12 0.06 0.02 
			 Total 9.22 18.93 7.4 11.2 7.71

Non-Governmental Organisations

Pete Wishart: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which non-governmental organisations have received funds from the public purse to conduct aid work in Iraq in the last five years; and how much each received.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) provided funding directly to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) in Iraq over the last five years through two principal mechanisms: the Political Participation Fund and the Civil Society Fund.
	The £5 million Iraq Civil Society Fund (CSF) supported projects that strengthened the capacity of Iraqi civil society organisations through partnerships with international NGOs. Funding was given to Christian Aid, Save the Children (UK), Mines Advisory Group (MAG), Help Age International, Women for Women International, Salvation Army, International Centre for Trade Union Rights, UNISON and the Women's National Commission. These NGOs, in turn, partnered a range of Iraqi organisations.
	The £7.5 million Political Participation Fund (PPF) provided grants to grass-roots Iraqi civil society organisations to enable potentially marginalised groups to participate in the political process. Under the PPF, the international NGOs we supported were AMAR, Arab Gulf Studies Centre, Institute of War and Peace Reporting (IWPR), and the Irish Human Rights Network.
	We have also contributed £55 million to the International Committee of the Red Cross for their humanitarian appeals during 2003-2009. We also provided recent funding directly to the BBC World Service Trust, to strengthen independent television and radio broadcasting in southern Iraq; and to the International Legal Assistance Consortium (ILAC), to support development of the Iraqi justice sector.
	Since 2003 DFID has also provided approximately £130 million of funding to UN agencies to support the most vulnerable people displaced inside Iraq and in the region. The UN agencies themselves pass the majority of these funds onto the international NGOs who act as the UN's implementing partners.
	Finally, DFID has agreed Partnership Programme Arrangements to provide core funding to a number of major international NGOs. Of those, Oxfam, Islamic Relief and CAFOD all have programmes in Iraq.
	The following table shows our direct disbursements to NGOs in Iraq during the last five financial years:
	
		
			  £ million 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08  2008-09 
			 Civil Society Fund (CSF) 2.2 1.7 1.05 0.02 0 
			 Political Participation Fund (PPF) 1.7 2.3 0.06 1.5 0 
			 BBC-WST 0.1 0.02 0 0 0 
			 BBC Al Mirbad 1.6 2.5 2.6 0.9 1.2 
			 Media IWPR 0.9 0.01 0 0 0 
			 War Child 0.1 0 0 0 0 
			 MAG 0.01 0 0 0 0 
			 MAG North 0.2 0 0 0 0 
			 ILAC 1.4 0.7 0.1 0 0 
			 ACTED 0.2 0 0 0 0 
			 AMAR 0.3 0.2 0 0 0 
			 Solidarities Programme 0 0.07 0.08 0 0 
			 International Committee of the Red Cross Appeals 16 10 4 7 6 
			 SCF Security Enhancement 0.02 0.09 0.04 0.04 0 
			 CARE 0.4 0.01 0 0 0 
			 Total 25.1 17.6 7.9 9.4 7.2

Overseas Aid: Family Planning

Chris McCafferty: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps he is taking to ensure his Department's policies meet internationally agreed development goals in relation to provision of services relating to family planning, reproductive health and meeting the needs of young people; and if he will allocate 10 per cent. of overseas development assistance to population assistance.

Ivan Lewis: The Department for International Development (DFID) accepts that there is a large, well documented, unmet need for family planning and is working to address this. We provide significant resources to improve access to sexual and reproductive health information, services and supplies (e.g. contraceptives). DFID supports the core work of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF) with £8.5 million per annum and is providing £100 million to the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) over the five-year period to 2013 to increase access to reproductive health commodities. Our bilateral programme supports contraceptive supply directly in several developing countries.
	The UK Government are also committed to spending £6 billion on strengthening health systems and services over the seven years to 2015. Strong health education programmes, including targeted youth services, sexual and reproductive health and maternal health programmes are key elements of a well functioning health system.
	DFID does not plan to adopt the target of allocating 10 per cent. of overseas development assistance to population assistance. DFID's country-led development approach is to support recipient governments to spend development assistance on the priorities they set themselves for helping their people out of poverty. DFID is committed to working to the Paris Principles concerning donor harmonisation and as part of this strongly supported the outcome of the recent the Accra High Level Forum on Aid Effectiveness to drive partner country ownership and leadership and for donors to support this.

Poverty: Conferences

Michael Moore: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what expenditure his Department incurred on  (a) catering,  (b) speaker's fees,  (c) venue fees,  (d) staffing and  (e) in total in relation to his Department's Conference on Eliminating World Poverty held in London; and if he will make a statement.

Douglas Alexander: I refer the hon. Member to the answers given on 18 March 2009,  Official Report; column 1253W to the hon. Member for Ilford, North (Mr. Scott).

Yemen: Overseas Aid

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development how much his Department has spent on development projects in Yemen in each of the last five years.

Michael Foster: Details of the Department for International Development's (DFID) bilateral aid to Yemen over the last five financial years is outlined in the following table:
	
		
			  DFID bilateral expenditure in Yemen, 2003-04 to 2007-08 
			   DFID bilateral expenditure (£000) 
			 2004-05 5,549 
			 2005-06 11,616 
			 2006-07 8,310 
			 2007-08 12,069 
			 2008-09 (1)19,228 
			 (1) Awaiting final reconciliation of year end accounts

Yemen: Overseas Aid

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development which organisations are involved in the delivery of his Department's project in Yemen.

Michael Foster: The following organisations are involved in the implementation of the Department for International Development's programme in Yemen for 2008-09:
	 Social Fund for Development (SFD)
	SFD is a Yemeni organisation which provides support directly to communities to improve education, health, roads, and water supplies. This includes micro-finance services and training for local development partners (government, NGOs, communities, and contractors).
	 World Bank
	DFID is working with the World Bank to increase access to quality basic education, particularly for girls.
	 KFW Development Bank
	KFW Development Bank acts on behalf of the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). DFID is working with KFW through the girls access project (SEDGAP) to improve gender equity, quality and efficiency of general secondary education.
	 International Finance Corporation (IFC)
	IFC are carrying out a range of activities to improve the enabling environment for businesses and investment.
	 World Food Programme(United Nations)
	DFID is supporting the Emergency Food Aid relief programme in the Sa'ada Governorate.
	 Islamic Development Bank (IDB)
	IDB aim to improve water and sanitation in Al-Howta City, Lahej Governorate.
	 GRM Consulting
	GRM Consulting are improving the provision of justice systems and policing services.
	 Government of the Netherlands
	The Dutch and DFID are working through a Delegated Cooperation Arrangement (DCA) on Maternal and Neonatal Health. The programme will reduce maternal and child mortality.

Yemen: Overseas Aid

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what discussions his Department has had with the Islamic Development Bank on reducing levels of poverty in Yemen.

Michael Foster: In late 2007 the Department for International Development (DFID) began discussions with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) about opportunities for joint collaboration to reduce poverty in Yemen. This resulted in DFID signing an agreement with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) in November 2008 to co-fund the Urban Water and Sanitation Project in Al Howta City, Lahej Governorate in Yemen. The Project will bring clean water and improved sanitation to 36,000 people in Al Howta City by 2011. Funding is being provided through an IDB Loan of $10 million and a DFID Grant of £1.2million (2008-09).
	DFID signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the IDB in January 2009 to develop further partnerships the first of which is the recently agreed Statistical Capacity Building programme (STATCAP) which will also include Yemen as a focus country.
	I have regular meetings with the President of the IDB, Dr Ahmad Mohamed Ali Al Madani.

Yemen: Overseas Aid

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what criteria his Department uses to assess the effectiveness of UK assistance to Yemen.

Michael Foster: The Department for International Development (DFID) uses a range of different criteria to assess the effectiveness of UK assistance to Yemen.
	All projects, whether implemented directly by DFID or through a partner organisation such as the World Bank or UN, have a monitoring and evaluation framework in place with an agreed set of indicators that are specifically designed for each project. Annual reviews are undertaken for each project. Where projects are jointly funded with other donors joint evaluations are undertaken.
	DFID's evaluation department is also currently undertaking an evaluation of DFID's development assistance to Yemen. The evaluation will follow the OECD-DAC evaluation criteria and assess the relevance, effectiveness, efficiency, impact and sustainability of the DFID programme in Yemen. The 2008 OECD-DAC baseline survey shows that DFID has either met or is on track to meet all the 2010 targets contained in the Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness.
	The effectiveness of UK assistance to Yemen is also assessed against the three shared commitments (poverty reduction, human rights and public finance management) between the UK and the Government of Yemen and set out in the 10 year Development Partnership Arrangement (DPA). In March 2009 there was an annual review of both GoY commitments and DFID commitments.

Yemen: Overseas Aid

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of progress towards the achievement of the Millennium Development Goals in Yemen.

Michael Foster: Progress in Yemen against selected indicators for each of the Millennium Development Goals was published in the Department for International Development's (DFID) 2008 Autumn Performance Report in December. This is available in the Library of the House or on-line at
	www.dfid.gov.uk.
	A more detailed assessment will be published in DFID's 2009 Annual Report in July.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Arts: Finance

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much funding  (a) his Department,  (b) Sport England,  (c) the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and  (d) the Arts Councils is providing to each of the regional cultural observatories in 2009-10.

Barbara Follett: Prior to April 2009, collaborative research activity across culture and sport was centred on Regional Cultural Observatories (RCOs) and research capacities led by the Regional Cultural Consortiums (RCCs). As a result of the recent DCMS Review of Regional Working, the RCCs closed on 31 March 2009. The Arts Council, in partnership with English Heritage, the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council and Sport England has commissioned BMG Research to conduct an options appraisal to consider how regional culture and sport research needs can best be met now that the RCO hosts have ceased to operate. This project is expected to report in June 2009. DCMS funding of RCOs ended with the closing of the RCCs on 31 March 2009. In the meantime, some of the functions and services that were previously provided by RCOs are continuing in some regions. In particular, in the North West a consortium of higher education institutions, led by the University of Liverpool, has become the new host for the North West Cultural Observatory and the Arts Council is contributing £10,000 to support the transition to the new arrangements in 2009-10.

Commonwealth Games 2014: Finance

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether  (a) he and  (b) officials in his Department have had any recent discussions with (i) the Secretary of State for Scotland and (ii) Scottish Executive Ministers on National Lottery funding for the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Barbara Follett: The Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport has had regular discussions with the Secretary of State for Scotland on matters relating to the Commonwealth Games, sport and the National Lottery. He also discussed the legacy for the Commonwealth Games with the Scottish Minister for Public Health and Sport (Shona Robison MSP) on 31 March 2009.

Departmental Assets

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport when his Department last reviewed its assets and land and property holdings with a view to identifying and disposing of surpluses.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department last reviewed its assets and land and property holdings in March 2009.

Departmental Energy

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the changes recommended by the producers of the display energy certificate for 2-4 Cockspur Street regarding  (a) run around coils for the air handling units and  (b) a heat recovery heat pump for the comms room have been implemented.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Department is currently carrying out a feasibility study to determine whether it is cost effective to install run around coils for the air handling units and heat recovery heat pump for the comms room.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport for what reason there was an underspend against his Department's estimated Capital Departmental Expenditure Limit in 2008-09 as referred to in the Budget 2009 Red Book, Table C11.

Andy Burnham: For 2008-09, the capital expenditure limit of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport includes both voted estimate provision and a departmental unallocated provision.
	The main elements of the underspend are: (i) an unspent departmental unallocated provision of £168 million, which was provided for the Olympics in the Spending Review 2007, and (ii) an estimated underspend by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) in the financial year 2008-09, compared to their estimate provision.
	The ODA's funding is ring-fenced and the intention is that funds unspent in 2008-09 will be made available to meet the spending pressures primarily in 2009-10 and 2010-11.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what contribution he expects each of his Department's  (a) agencies and  (b) business areas to make towards value for money savings in 2010-11 as referred to in paragraph C71 of the Budget 2009 Red Book.

Andy Burnham: The current detail as to how these savings will be delivered is set out in table 6.1 of the Budget 2009.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport under which budgetary headings reductions to his Department's Resource Departmental Expenditure Limit for 2010-11, as referred to in Table C11 of the Budget 2009 Red Book, have been made.

Andy Burnham: The budgetary headings that have been reduced, and are reflected in Table C11 and Chapter 6 table 6.1 of Budget 2009 are Arts, Heritage, Museums, Galleries and Libraries, Sport, Broadcasting and Film.

Gambling Commission: Expenditure

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much was spent on staffing costs at the Gambling Commission in 2008-09.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 28 April 2009
	The Gambling Commission have advised that £9,265,710 was spent on staffing costs in 2008-09. This figure includes all pension and national insurance costs.

Legacy Trust UK: Expenditure

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how much the Legacy Trust UK has spent since its inception.

Andy Burnham: The Legacy Trust UK (LTUK) was established with a £40 million endowment from the Big Lottery Fund, the Arts Council England and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport to support a wide range of innovative cultural and sporting activities for all, which celebrate the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games and leave a lasting legacy in communities throughout the United Kingdom.
	Since its inception LTUK has awarded a total of £30 million in grants. This is split between the 12 Nations and Regions projects (£24 million) and the funding ringfenced for the UK School Games (£6 million).

Licensed Premises

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport in what languages examinations for a personal licence to operate a pub, club or off licence can be taken.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 23 April 2009
	The Department's criteria for accredited personal licence course providers do not stipulate that examinations must be taken in languages other than English. Course providers are free to make a commercial decision to allow the examination to be taken in other languages if there is a demand for such a service.

Licensed Premises

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what requirements there are on designated premises supervisors to be present at the licensed establishment for which they are responsible; who takes responsibility when the supervisor is absent; and if he will make a statement.

Gerry Sutcliffe: holding answer 23 April 2009
	Under the Licensing Act 2003 ("the Act"), a premises licence must require that every supply of alcohol must be made or authorised by a person who holds a personal licence. Each premises licence authorising the supply of alcohol must specify one individual holding a personal licence as the designated premises supervisor ("DPS"). A DPS has no other unique statutory responsibilities other than those which apply to personal licence holders or more generally, to all persons retailing alcohol, such as the prohibitions on sales to people under 18 years or to people who are drunk. Any number of personal licence holders may be employed at the premises and the purpose of specifying one personal licence holder as the DPS is so that the police and other authorised persons under the Act have a single point of contact should some action need to be taken at the premises.
	The Act itself does not require that the designated premises supervisor (DPS) should be present on licensed premises at all times when alcohol is sold. Indeed, given that the premises could be authorised to retail alcohol for up to 24 hours a day for 365 days each year, it would be unreasonable and probably unlawful to expect a single employee to be present at all times. Compliance with licensing law remains the responsibility of the premises licence holder (which may be a business, an organisation or an individual) at all times and cannot be delegated. Where necessary for the promotion of one or more of the four licensing objectives, a condition can be attached to a premises licence requiring the presence at all times of a personal licence holder.

Sports

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  what baseline has been adopted against which to measure Sport England's progress towards the target of two million people regularly participating in sport by 2012;
	(2)  what baseline has been adopted against which to measure the Department's progress towards the target of two million people regularly participating in sport by 2012.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The Government's 2012 Legacy Action Plan (LAP), published in June 2008, sets a cross-Government target to get two million more adults active through sport and physical activity by 2012. DCMS and Sport England lead on getting one million more people doing more sport. A range of Government Departments will deliver programmes that will increase wider physical activity. Many of these programmes are outlined in the Department of Health's new Physical Activity Plan 'Be Active, Be Healthy' published on 11 February 2009.
	Baselines for the two million and sports targets will be established using the 2007-08 Active People Survey. The baseline for Sport England's one million sports target is 6.8 million, whereas the baseline for the wider two million target will be calculated to take account of the additional data collected on dance and gardening from January 2009 onwards.
	A newly established Physical Activity Programme Board, chaired jointly by the Department of Health and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, will oversee the delivery of the programmes against the LAP target.

Sports: Training

Jeremy Hunt: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport how many voluntary community sports coaches have been appointed since the scheme's inception.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Sport England has advised that there are no volunteer community sports coaches in the Community Sports Coach (CSC) Scheme. The CSC sports coaches were paid employees, therefore any volunteer coaches would not have been part of the Scheme.

ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Coal Fired Power Stations

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Wealdon of 11 March 2009,  Official Report, column 525W, on Kingsnorth power station, when he plans to issue his consultation on a new framework for coal-fired power stations.

Mike O'Brien: The timetable for publication of a planned new consultation on a new framework for coal fired power stations is currently under consideration.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the oral answer of 23 April 2009,  Official Report, column 357, what percentage of GDP the Government are allocating to measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions between 2009 and 2020.

Joan Ruddock: The recently published impact assessment used the HMRC's macroeconomic model to estimate that the cost of meeting our EU and UK greenhouse gas (GHG) targets would be 0.35 per cent. of GDP in 2020, in the absence of an international deal on climate change. This is in line with the Committee on Climate Change's estimate that the cost of meeting our carbon budgets is less than 1 per cent. of GDP in 2020.
	However the cost will come from a combination of private and Government expenditure, depending on the specific policies put in place to deliver the greenhouse gas reductions in each sector of the economy.

Members: Correspondence

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when a reply will be sent to the hon. Member for West Chelmsford's letters of 18 and 22 September 2008 transferred from the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR Reference: 96790/96957) concerning Mr A Hall and Mrs Patricia Yelf Gustar, both of Chelmsford; and what the reasons are for the time taken to reply.

Mike O'Brien: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to his parliamentary question number 272000 today.

Parliamentary Questions: Government Responses

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to reply to Question 248582, on replying to letters, tabled on 13 January 2009; and what the reasons are for the time taken to reply.

Mike O'Brien: I apologise that the hon. Member did not receive an answer to his question tabled on 13 January 2009 concerning replies to letters of 18 and 22 September 2008 on behalf of Mrs. P Y Gulstar and Mr. A Hall. I replied to these letters on 13 November and 31 October 2008 respectively and officials have resent copies of my replies.

Warm Front Scheme

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what steps were taken in response to the recommendations of the White Young Green Report of July 2007 on the Warm Front Scheme; and if he will make a statement.

Joan Ruddock: The report made six main recommendations which are listed in the following table, along with the section of the report in which they appear and action taken.
	
		
			  Recommendation  Action 
			 3.2 - Technical Survey 'eaga required to initiate technical verification checks on installer's quotations for boiler replacement and repairs...' 5% of all boiler replacement quotes are now independently assessed to ensure no over specification occurs. 
			 3.3 - Balanced Scorecard 'Some of the data used to compile the balanced scorecard is incoming information from other eaga departments and is taken at face value and is not always subject to validation prior to inputting on to the scorecard. It is recommended that this process is reviewed...' DECC has asked White Young Green to further review the current balance scorecard reporting and to suggest any improvements that could add value. 
			 3.4-Inspections 'eaga to provide data to inspectors on materials supplied and work on the Scheme undertaken at properties to be inspected' Material checks are now carried out on all gas central heating jobs. 
			 3.5 - Customer response team 'The escalation procedure requires further review to ensure all complaints are captured... a review of complaints closure is required' Eaga's Customer Management Department log all complaints in line with set procedures and an agreed standard definition of complaint. Eaga's escalation process has been streamlined to ensure the highest standards of service recovery are extended to all customers. Stronger relationships with key stakeholders have been developed and continue to be promoted. 
			 3.5 - Customer Response Team (a) 'The issue of third party complaints requires review' From January 1 2009, eaga's Customer Management Department has captured management information on the number of complaints raised directly with their subcontractors each month. This allows eaga and the Department to have full visibility of the overall levels of satisfaction. 
			 3.5 - Customer Response Team (b) 'a review of closure of complaints is required' Eaga's Head of Customer Management reviews each closed case on a monthly basis to ensure consistency in closure and drive best practice across the department.

Warm Front Scheme: Contracts

John Mann: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what the monetary value has been of Warm Front contracts with HES Ltd of Scunthorpe in the last eight years; and how many boilers have been installed under those contracts in each region of the UK.

Joan Ruddock: holding answer 24 March 2009
	Heating Efficiency Systems Ltd. started work under Warm Front in 2002 and therefore these data are for the years 2002 to 2009. The number of boilers installed by Heating Efficiency Systems Ltd. has been broken down regionally. The differentiation in volume of work by region is based on the fact that contractors bid to carry out work on a regional basis.
	
		
			   Number of boilers installed 
			 East 7,537 
			 North 564 
			 South 10,163 
			 West 1,837 
			 Total 20,101 
		
	
	The monetary value of the Warm Front contract with Heating Efficiency Systems was £34,406,395.88 for August 2002 to March 2009.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

Dogs: Hire Services

Andrew Murrison: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs if he will bring forward legislative proposals to restrict the operation of dog rental companies in England; and if he will make a statement.

Jane Kennedy: The Government have no plans to bring forward legislative proposals to restrict the operation of dog rental companies.

Farms

James Paice: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many  (a) starter,  (b) progression and  (c) large farms there are on each county council farm estate in England; and which farms are held as retirement or lifetime tenancies under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986.

Jane Kennedy: The Annual Report to Parliament on Smallholdings in England provides an analysis of each local authority's smallholdings by size and the details of this are set out in the following table. DEFRA does not hold information on whether farms are held as retirement or lifetime tenancies under the Agricultural Holdings Act 1986.
	The latest published Annual Report is the 57th Report for the period 1 April 2006 to 31 March 2007 and is available in the Library of the House and can also be seen on DEFRA's website.
	
		
			  Analysis of smallholdings by size at 31 March 2007 
			   Number of holdings 
			  County/Unitary Authority  0—20 ha  20—40 ha  Over 40 ha  Total 
			 Bedfordshire 83 30 25 138 
			 Berkshire West — 2 1 3 
			 Bournemouth 5 1 1 7 
			 Brighton and Hove 24 4 23 51 
			 Buckinghamshire 35 17 14 66 
			 Cambridgeshire 137 67 140 344 
			 Cheshire 58 51 28 137 
			 City of York 2 — 2 4 
			 Cornwall 10 51 51 112 
			 Cumbria 6 8 — 14 
			 Devon 6 32 53 91 
			 Dorset 6 28 32 66 
			 Durham 1 2 12 15 
			 East Riding of Yorkshire 65 54 17 136 
			 East Sussex — 1 1 2 
			 Essex 8 3 — 11 
			 Gloucestershire 56 49 31 136 
			 Hampshire 40 8 18 66 
			 Hartlepool — 1 1 2 
			 Herefordshire 4 48 9 61 
			 Hertfordshire 23 18 21 62 
			 Lancashire 2 — — 2 
			 Leicestershire 10 52 20 82 
			 Lincolnshire 120 84 76 280 
			 Medway 2 — 1 3 
			 Milton Keynes 5 2 5 12 
			 Norfolk 116 54 70 240 
			 Northamptonshire 8 5 2 15 
			 North Lincolnshire 17 1 — 18 
			 North Somerset 5 1 5 11 
			 Northumberland 1 — 6 7 
			 North Yorkshire 16 44 18 78 
			 Nottinghamshire 12 6 1 19 
			 Oxfordshire 34 5 2 41 
			 Peterborough 12 1 15 28 
			 Shropshire 25 17 1 43 
			 Slough 1 — — 1 
			 Somerset 17 41 31 89 
			 South Gloucestershire 8 6 4 18 
			 Staffordshire 48 68 19 135 
			 Suffolk 15 20 67 102 
			 Surrey 41 13 6 60 
			 Swindon 4 9 6 19 
			 Thurrock 6 3 2 11 
			 Torbay 2 — — 2 
			 Warrington 3 2 — 5 
			 Warwickshire 36 19 20 75 
			 West Sussex 14 2 5 21 
			 Wiltshire 22 27 22 71 
			 Worcestershire 96 20 10 126 
			 Total 1,267 977 894 3,138

Natural Gas: Canvey Island

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps the Environment Agency is taking to investigate the circumstances of the spillage at Calor Gas's Canvey Island site on 25 October 2008.

Jane Kennedy: The Environment Agency is not aware of a separate incident that occurred at the Calor Gas site at Canvey Island on 25 October.
	However, an incident on 27 October 2008 involved the spillage of liquid petroleum gas following the failure of pipework. The Environment Agency and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are the joint competent authorities for the site. The Environment Agency and the HSE agreed that the HSE would lead the investigation with assistance from the Environment Agency if required.
	As a result of the HSE led investigation, the Environment Agency has not entered into discussions with the company concerning the specific circumstances surrounding the spillage. However, the Environment Agency continues to undertake its normal regulatory activities at the site.

Recycling: Schools

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what financial support his Department offers  (a) local authorities and  (b) schools to assist in the setting up of recycling schemes on school sites;
	(2)  what financial support his Department provides to schools to enable them to set up recycling facilities.

Jane Kennedy: There is no direct funding from DEFRA to local authorities to set up recycling schemes or facilities in schools, as these would be funded from the local authorities' overall waste budget.

Water: Meters

Frank Dobson: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many domestic properties in England with a water supply  (a) have and  (b) do not have individual water meters.

Huw Irranca-Davies: Ofwat is the economic regulator of the water and sewerage industry in England and Wales.
	The latest metered and unmetered figures (2007-08) for domestic properties are:
	Metered—approx 6,779,369;
	Unmetered—approx 13,764,754.
	These figures are for meters that are billed and do not include figures for Welsh Water or Dee Valley Water as the majority of their customers are based in Wales. However, because there is some overlap of water companies' supply areas between England and Wales it has not been possible to separate out all the meters that may be fitted in Wales.

HOME DEPARTMENT

Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre

Nick Hurd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 4 March 2008,  Official Report, column 2479W, on the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre: Government Departments, how much it cost her Department to hire the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre for its leadership away day; and for what reasons the event was not held in departmental buildings.

Phil Woolas: The Government's London estate has limited conference facilities and so from time to time the Home Office and other Departments are required to hire external venues for events.
	We are not able to reveal the cost of the booking as this is a commercially sensitive issue between the Home Office and the QEII Centre.
	The QEII Centre is owned by the Crown (Department for Communities and Local Government).

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

14 Tothill Street

Caroline Spelman: To ask the hon. Member for North Devon, representing the House of Commons Commission pursuant to the answer of 9 March 2009,  Official Report, column 26W, on 14 Tothill Street, what the length of the lease on 14 Tothill Street is; and what the annual rent will be when it is fully operational.

Nick Harvey: The lease is for 16 years from October 2007 with a break after eight years. The House of Commons share of the annual rent is £2.1 million plus VAT.

JUSTICE

Court Funds Office

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much is held in cash deposits on behalf of Court of Protection clients by the Court Funds Office.

Bridget Prentice: The Court Funds Office holds approximately £3 billion of funds on behalf of clients of the Court of Protection (correct as of 1 April 2009).

Court Funds Office

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how much interest the Court Funds Office paid at the  (a) standard and  (b) special interest rate in the last year for which information is available.

Bridget Prentice: The Court Funds Office (CFO) holds approximately £4.6 billion of funds on the basic and special accounts. Interest is paid to CFO accounts bi-annually to accounts earning the special rate of interest in May and November and to accounts earning the basic rate of interest in March and September.
	Until 1 February 2009, interest was paid at a rate of 6 per cent. on the special account and 4 per cent. on the basic account. On 1 February 2009, interest rates changed to 3 per cent. and 2 per cent. respectively.
	For the last full year in which accounts are available (2007-08) the amount of interest paid to CFO special and basic account clients was £260,033,000.

Court Funds Office

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the average size is of a Court of Protection client's deposit with the Court Funds Office.

Bridget Prentice: The Court Funds Office holds approximately £3 billion of funds on behalf of approximately 18,000 Court of Protection clients, which equates to an average of £169,000 per account.

Court Funds Office

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the effect on clients of the reduction in the special interest rate paid by the Court Funds Office.

Bridget Prentice: As part of the administration of funds in court the Lord Chancellor regularly reviews the interest rates paid on client accounts. In reviewing and setting the rate paid, the Lord Chancellor takes into account a number of factors including the amount of interest received on funds against the amount of interest paid to clients, the changing level and mix of funds held by CFO and administration costs.
	Income generated on the client funds is influenced by the Bank of England rate. In light of recent movements in the Bank of England rate it has been necessary to reduce the level of interest paid on the special and basic accounts. Interest rates were reduced on 1 February from 6 per cent. to 3 per cent. on the special account and from 4 per cent. to 2 per cent. on the basic account. It has become necessary to reduce CFO's rates further and from 1 June the special account rate will be 1.5 per cent. and the basic account 1 per cent.
	There are currently around 119,000 deposits in the special account: 101,000 held on behalf of young people with damages awards and 18,000 belonging to Court of Protection clients. The financial impact of the recent reduction in the special account rate on children and Court of Protection clients varies, as the latter tend to hold larger sums of money in the special account.
	CFO rates compare favourably to most rates offered on instant-access accounts by banks and building societies. For example, for a deposit of £25,000 placed in a bank or building society savings account, the average rate of interest offered by some 464 different types of account is 0.71 per cent. gross AER (information taken from the FSA's comparative tables (www.fsa.gov.uk/tables) as at 17 April 2009 Financial Services Authority.)
	It is important to stress that the purpose of the CFO and its special account is not to compensate or make financial provision for a client's situation—that is the role of the court or the welfare system as appropriate. The role of the special account is to provide a safe place for client's funds and to provide a reasonable rate of return. All special account clients continue to benefit from safeguards offered by this account.
	The majority of deputies representing Court of Protection clients should have the ability to withdraw funds from the CFO and place them elsewhere if they believe this is in the best interests of the person they represent. Litigation friends representing children have the ability to apply to court for permission to remove funds.
	The Lord Chancellor will be keeping the rates under review and should he consider it appropriate, further changes to the special account rate may be necessary in light of the recent and future Bank of England rate changes.
	The CFO will continue to monitor the impact this has on clients.

Debt Collection

Denis Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many licensed bailiffs there are in each parliamentary constituency.

Bridget Prentice: HM Courts Service does not collect numbers of bailiffs in each parliamentary constituency. The following table sets out the numbers of certificated bailiffs who hold currently valid certificates which have been granted by county courts in England and Wales. My officials regularly update these data on the basis of information provided by the county courts. These data are a snapshot of those returns received at any one point in time and those presented as follows are the latest available figures.
	
		
			  County c ourt  Bailiffs 
			 Aldershot and Farnham 1 
			 Altrincham 13 
			 Bedford 4 
			 Birkenhead 23 
			 Birmingham 27 
			 Bournemouth 19 
			 Bradford 8 
			 Brighton 19 
			 Bristol 11 
			 Bromley 35 
			 Burnley 177 
			 Caernarfon 18 
			 Cambridge 1 
			 Canterbury 4 
			 Cardiff 2 
			 Chelmsford 7 
			 Chester 1 
			 Chichester 15 
			 Clerkenwell and Shoreditch 150 
			 Colchester 1 
			 Coventry 1 
			 Croydon 99 
			 Dartford 27 
			 Derby 4 
			 Doncaster 2 
			 Edmonton 5 
			 Epsom 17 
			 Exeter 5 
			 Gateshead 23 
			 Guildford 1 
			 Harrogate 1 
			 Haverfordwest 2 
			 Huddersfield 27 
			 Ipswich 3 
			 King's Lynn 2 
			 Kingston-upon-Hull 9 
			 Lambeth 3 
			 Leeds 7 
			 Leicester 10 
			 Lincoln 6 
			 Liverpool 25 
			 Luton 8 
			 Macclesfield 5 
			 Manchester 29 
			 Medway 24 
			 Merthyr Tydfil 73 
			 Middlesbrough 54 
			 Milton Keynes 13 
			 Morpeth and Berwick 3 
			 Newport (Gwent) 4 
			 Northampton 91 
			 Norwich 11 
			 Nottingham 9 
			 Oldham 27 
			 Oxford 8 
			 Peterborough 6 
			 Plymouth 2 
			 Preston 4 
			 Reading 7 
			 Redditch 266 
			 Romford 7 
			 Scarborough 2 
			 Sheffield 8 
			 Slough 3 
			 Southampton 13 
			 Southend 28 
			 St. Albans 2 
			 Stafford 46 
			 Swansea 6 
			 Taunton 22 
			 Telford 2 
			 Torquay and Newton Abbot 10 
			 Truro 7 
			 Uxbridge 25 
			 Watford 1 
			 Wigan 4 
			 York 1 
			 Total 1,646

Departmental Operating Costs

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the written ministerial statement by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions of 12 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 116-19WS, on departmental expenditure limits, what increased operating costs relating to the introduction of the Employment and Support Allowance were incurred by his Department.

Bridget Prentice: The Tribunals Service received £695,000 in the Spring Supplementary Estimate to process 3,665 cases forecast for 2008-09. A further £760,000 was also paid by DWP to the Legal Services Commission for people who might require legal aid in appealing against ESA decisions. Together, the Spring Supplementary payments total £1,455,000.

Electoral Register: Commonwealth

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 18 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 1214-5W, on electoral register: Commonwealth, whether a person from a Commonwealth country resident in the UK on a student visa issued under tier 4 of the points-based system is eligible to vote in a general election.

Michael Wills: A person is entitled to be registered as a parliamentary elector if he or she is resident in the relevant constituency, is of voting age, is not subject to a legal incapacity to vote (age apart), and is either a British citizens, a qualifying Commonwealth citizen or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland.
	As explained in my answer on 18 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 1214-5W, under the Representation of the People Act 1983, "qualifying Commonwealth citizen" is defined as a Commonwealth citizen who either does not require leave to enter or remain under the Immigration Act 1971 or who does require leave, but for the time being has any description of such leave. This means that if a person who requires leave to enter or remain has been granted leave to enter or remain then he or she will be deemed to be a qualifying Commonwealth citizen.
	Commonwealth citizens who have leave to enter or remain will have been granted this leave under any of the current or previous categories of the immigration rules, including as the spouse of a British Citizen, as a highly skilled migrant, work permit holder, student, under any of the new points based system categories or as dependants of any "lead" migrants granted leave under these categories.
	This will include a citizen from a Commonwealth country who has obtained leave to enter or remain under the previous immigration rules relating to students, or since 31 March 2009, leave to enter or remain under tier 4 of the points based-system. Accordingly, provided they meet the other criteria for registration set out above, such a person would be entitled to be included in the register of parliamentary electors.

Housing: Sales

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many domestic properties were sold for  (a) under £175,000 and  (b) £175,000 and over in each of the last three years.

Michael Wills: Figures of residential properties sold for  (a) under £175,000 and  (b) £175,000 and over in each of the last three years are given in the following table:
	
		
			   Total sales under £175,000  Total sales over £175,000 
			 2006 704,929 578,484 
			 2007 618,657 612,417 
			 2008 327,198 294,530

National Probation Service for England and Wales: Redundancy

Greg Mulholland: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many job losses there have been in the Probation Service in  (a) Leeds,  (b) West Yorkshire and  (c) England and Wales in the last 12 months.

David Hanson: Information on the number of job losses in the probation service over the past 12 months is not available centrally as the 42 probation areas/trusts are responsible for their own staffing levels and this information has not previously been collected from them.
	Making savings always involves difficult choices, but protecting the public remains the priority for the probation service and this will not be compromised. I have agreed a prudent programme of savings with the National Offender Management Service (NOMS) that will maximise central savings and protect the most valuable front-line work.
	From 1 April 2009, regional Directors of Offender Management have been in place to provide the necessary strategic oversight of offender management services at a regional level. They are accountable for making sure all delivery agencies, probation, public and private sector prisons and the voluntary sector contribute effectively to offender management. An important part of this role is to ensure that efficiency targets are achieved without undermining service delivery, and they will be expected to monitor any plans for staffing reductions closely.
	Probation has received significant increases in resources since this Government came to power in 1997. Total probation staffing (expressed as full-time equivalents) was up from 13,968 in 1997 to 20,894 by 2007, a 50 per cent. increase over the period.

Prison Service: Resignations

Paul Holmes: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many prison service staff resigned in each year since 2003.

David Hanson: Information on the number of prison service staff resignations and staff in post, in each year since 2003 is provided in the table. The information relates to both public and private sector establishments and the Headquarters of the National Offender Management Service. The resignation rates are lower than the public sector average of 9.4 per cent. and private sector services average of 13.4 per cent(1).
	
		
			  Resignations from the Prison Service 2003 - 08 
			   Resignations  Staff in post  Percentage resigning 
			 2003(1) 2,275 4,5782 5.0 
			 2004 2,857 5,0194 5.7 
			 2005 3,004 5,2032 5.8 
			 2006 2,989 5,2988 5.6 
			 2007 3,223 5,4976 5.9 
			 2008 2,870 5,7452 5.0 
			 (1) Information for 2003 relates to the public sector only.

Victim Support Schemes

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice when he plans to announce arrangements for the Victims' Fund for 2009-10.

Maria Eagle: £1.25 million has been allocated to the Victims Fund for Sexual Violence for 2009-10. We have written to organisations that were successful in securing a grant in the 2007-08 and 2008-09 application process informing them that they are eligible to have their grants renewed at the same level as in the previous two years. The Home Office administered funds for victims of homicide and hate crime will be announced in the next few weeks.

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

Members: Allowances

John Mann: To ask the Leader of the House what sums have been budgeted for the payment of expenses of hon. Members from the Members' Vote in each of the next six financial years.

Chris Bryant: The House of Commons: Members Estimate is laid before Parliament each year. These financial figures are based on the level of pay and allowances agreed by the House adjusted to reflect the historical level of claims received. The estimate for 2009-10 includes £109.3 million in respect of Members' allowances. This includes £7.4 million on Members' travel. The annual nature of the estimate means that no budgeted figures beyond 2009-10 have been agreed.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Abortion

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland with reference to the Prime Minister's response of 22 April 2009 to the e-petition submitted by Miss A Birt and others on the extension to Northern Ireland of the Abortion Act 1967, when he expects the Northern Ireland Assembly to assume responsibility for criminal law in Northern Ireland, including the law on abortion; what recent representations he has received on this issue; what recent discussions he has had with the Prime Minister on the issue; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Goggins: The announcement by the Northern Ireland First and Deputy First Ministers on 18 November 2008 set out a process, the completion of which would see policing and justice matters devolved to the Northern Ireland Assembly. The process is continuing to move forward. The Northern Ireland Act 2009 provided the necessary legislative framework for the Assembly to move to the next stage of that process. It will be for the Assembly to decide when to request the transfer of powers but the Government remain committed to doing whatever it can to facilitate progress towards devolution.
	I continue to receive correspondence from people in Northern Ireland and elsewhere in the UK both supporting and opposing any changes to the law on abortion in Northern Ireland. The Government's position remains that these are matters best dealt with by the Northern Ireland Assembly when it assumes responsibility for the criminal law.

OLYMPICS

Olympic Games 2012: Contracts

Pete Wishart: To ask the Minister for the Olympics how many  (a) applications for contracts have been received and  (b) contracts have been awarded to Scottish-based firms by the Olympic Delivery Authority.

Tessa Jowell: The Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) does not keep a record of the number of applications it receives in relation to ODA procurement opportunities.
	To date there are 13 businesses registered in Scotland that have won work directly supplying the ODA. These figures do not include those contracts awarded to sub- contractors based in Scotland. The ODA is currently undertaking research into businesses winning sub-contracts in its supply chains, with initial results due in the coming weeks.

Olympic Games 2012: Cycling

Evan Harris: To ask the Minister for the Olympics what her policy is on the balance between the number of cycling events open to  (a) men and  (b) women at the London 2012 Olympics.

Tessa Jowell: My hope is gender equality is established across the Olympic and Paralympic sports programme, including all cycling events. However, the decision rests with the International Olympic Committee and the International Paralympic Committee in conjunction with the respective international federation, but I have asked UK Sport to work with the British Olympic Association and national governing bodies to identify and support those sports where gender imbalance exists and where changes could be achieved by London 2012.

SCOTLAND

Departmental Assets

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when his Department last reviewed its assets and land and property holdings with a view to identifying and disposing of surpluses.

Ann McKechin: The Scotland Office regularly reviews its assets and are unlikely to be disposing of any assets in the next year.

Departmental Billing

John Mason: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of its suppliers his Department has paid within 10 days of receipt of invoice in each of the last five months.

Ann McKechin: The percentage of suppliers paid within the 10 day target by the Scotland Office is as follows:
	
		
			  Month  Percentage of suppliers  paid in 10 days 
			 November 89.4 
			 December 96.8 
			 January 100 
			 February 99.5 
			 March 99.7

Whisky

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he had with the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the Scottish whisky industry in advance of the recent Budget Statement.

Jim Murphy: I have regular discussions with my right hon. Friend, the Chancellor on a range of issues.

TRANSPORT

Driving: Licensing

Grant Shapps: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what  (a) EU,  (b) UK,  (c) departmental and  (d) Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) public procurement requirements applied to the recent extension of the DVLA photo-licence contract with the Post Office.

Jim Fitzpatrick: The Department for Transport and its agencies are required to adhere to EU procurement regulations and these are consolidated into its own and departmental procurement operating instruction and guidance.
	The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) holds a major contract with Post Office Ltd. (POL) that covers a number of services, including that for its 'Check and Send' service for collection and checking of driving licence applications at Post Office counters. This service has been in place for nearly 10 years. Based on legal advice DVLA formed the view that an extension to include the collection of a photograph as part of the same transaction could be undertaken within the flexibility of the existing contract terms as a variation.

Members: Correspondence

John Baron: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will respond to the hon. Member for Billericay's letter of 9 February 2009, on his constituent Mr G. Bores.

Geoff Hoon: The Department for Transport has no record of receiving a letter dated 9 February 2009 from the hon. Member for Billericay.

Rescue Services: Scotland

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions the HM Coastguard Search and Rescue helicopter based at  (a) Sumburgh and  (b) Stornoway has been called on to undertake flights at the request of the Scottish Ambulance Service in each of the last 10 years.

Jim Fitzpatrick: Officials at the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have been asked to compile the requested data. The process involves reconciling a number of different data sources to provide the detailed information requested in a helpful form. This will take approximately one week with officials using the data held on hospital transfers involving the Scottish Ambulance Service. Officials will be in contact should the work to extract the data take longer than originally anticipated.

Transport Innovation Fund

Stephen Hammond: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what allocations were made from the Transport Innovation Fund budget in financial year 2008-09; and how much was allocated to each project;
	(2)  what allocations were made from the Transport Innovation Fund budget for financial year 2009-10; and how much was allocated to each project;
	(3)  whether any unallocated monies from the Transport Innovation Fund budget for financial year 2008-09 will be brought forward to the Fund's budget for financial year 2009-10.

Paul Clark: Two programmes related to local congestion and productivity are currently supported by the Transport Innovation Fund.
	Under the congestion TIF programme, Ministers have announced that up to £200 million a year is available for local authority schemes to tackle congestion that include an element of demand management. Programme Entry was awarded to the Greater Manchester TIF proposals in June 2008 which included an allocation of £20 million for development costs in 2008-09. In addition pump priming funds were allocated to areas looking at the nature of their congestion problem, the role of demand management in addressing it and whether to make a bid for TIF funding.
	Under the productivity TIF programme, resources have been allocated to measures to improve the capacity and resilience of the strategic national freight distribution networks, hence supporting international trade and competitiveness, and to measures to make the most of capacity at key pressure points on the strategic networks, thus improving mobility for business and freight users. In addition, the Department for Transport's contributions to the Crossrail project will be supported by the fund.
	Unallocated support may be taken into account in deciding future years' allocations. Allocations made under the productivity TIF programme are as follows:
	
		
			  Productivity TIF schemes 
			  £ million 
			   2008-09  2009-10  2010-11  Total 
			 Gospel Oak / Barking 18.5 — — 18.5 
			 Humber Ports 1.0 3.0 2.0 6.0 
			 Peterborough/Nuneaton 20.0 30.0 30.0 80.0 
			 Southampton/Birmingham 15.0 27.8 — 42.8 
			 Olive Mount Chord 0.8 0.9 — 1.7 
			 Rail freight schemes 55.3 61.7 32.0 149.0 
			  
			 Birmingham box—gross cost 40.7 76.3 31.6 148.6 
			 A14—gross cost 10.0 66.8 11.9 88.7 
			 HA contribution to schemes — -20.6 -4.9 -25.5 
			 Highways Agency traffic management schemes 50.7 122.5 38.6 211.8 
			  
			 Total PTIF 106.0 184.2 70.6 360.8

WOMEN AND EQUALITY

Domestic Violence: Victim Support Schemes

Caroline Spelman: To ask the Minister for Women and Equality from which local authorities the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) is requesting an explanation for the level of support provided for victims of domestic abuse; and what criteria were used by the EHRC in deciding on its selection of local authorities from which to make such a request.

Maria Eagle: The Commission sent letters in March 2009 requesting further information from 94 local authorities who, according to research conducted, do not appear to have any specialised domestic abuse support services in their local authority area.
	The letters sought to clarify the current provision of support services in these areas, together with any future planned provision, and to inquire how authorities have taken into account the Gender Equality Duty when determining the extent of provision of services in their area.
	The local authorities are:
	Adur District Council
	Arun District Council
	Ashfield District Council
	Babergh District Council
	Bassetlaw District Council
	Blaby District Council
	Bolsover District Council
	Breckland Council
	Brentwood Borough Council
	Broadland District Council
	Castle Point Borough Council
	Chiltern District Council
	Christchurch Borough Council
	City of London
	Copeland Borough Council
	Dacorum Borough Council
	Daventry District Council
	Derbyshire Dales District Council
	Dorset County Council
	East Cambridgeshire District Council
	East Dorset District Council
	East Hertfordshire District Council
	East Lindsey District Council
	East Northamptonshire Council
	Elmbridge Borough Council
	Epping Forrest District Council
	Epsom and Ewell Borough Council
	Forest Heath District Council
	Gedling Borough Council
	Gosport Borough Council
	Hambleton District Council
	Harborough District Council
	Harlow District Council
	Hart District Council
	Hertsmere Borough Council
	Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council
	Hyndburn Borough Council
	Council of the Isles of Scilly
	Kettering Borough Council
	Lewes District Council
	Maldon District Council
	Melton Borough Council
	Mid Bedfordshire District Council
	Mid Devon District Council
	Mid Suffolk District Council
	Mid Sussex District Council
	Mole Valley District Council
	North East Derbyshire District Council
	North Hertfordshire District Council
	North Kesteven Borough Council
	North Norfolk District Council
	North Warwickshire Borough Council
	North West Leicestershire District Council
	Oadby and Wigston Borough Council
	Poole Borough Council
	Purbeck District Council
	Redditch Borough Council
	Ribble Valley Borough Council
	Richmondshire District Council
	Rochford District Council
	Rossendale Borough Council
	Runnymede Borough Council
	Rushcliffe Borough Council
	Rushmoor Borough Council
	Ryedale District Council
	Sevenoaks District Council
	South Bucks District Council
	South Cambridgeshire District Council
	South Hams District Council
	South Holland District Council
	South Kesteven District Council
	South Northamptonshire District Council
	South Oxfordshire District Council
	South Staffordshire Council
	Spelthorne Borough Council
	Staffordshire Moorlands District Council
	Suffolk Coastal District Council
	Surrey Heath Borough Council
	Tandridge District Council
	Teignbridge District Council
	Tewkesbury Borough Council
	Three Rivers District Council
	Tonbridge and Mailing Borough Council
	Torridge District Council
	Uttlesford District Council
	Vale of White Horse District Council
	Waverley Borough Council
	West Devon Borough Council
	West Oxfordshire District Council
	West Somerset Council
	Woking Borough Council
	Wokingham District Council
	Wychavon District Council
	Wyre Borough Council

CHILDREN, SCHOOLS AND FAMILIES

Academies

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent assessment his Department has made of progress on the academy programme in  (a) Kettering and  (b) England.

Jim Knight: The plans for two new Academies in Kettering, one of which will replace Henry Gotch Primary School and Ise Community College and another which will replace Avondale Infants School, Avondale Junior School and Montagu Foundation School, are progressing well and we expect them to open in September 2009. The Academy programme in England continues to expand towards our commitment of a total of 400.
	Academies are leading the way in reducing low attainment with the 2008 GCSE results showing that performance continues to improve faster than the national average. The latest 2008 independent evaluation of the Academies programme by PricewaterhouseCoopers said that
	'Ofsted reinforces our conclusion that, overall, sponsorship contributes significantly to school improvement'
	and that
	'the quality of leadership is generally very good'.

Building Schools for the Future Programme

Bill Olner: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families whether local authorities are required to submit proposals that include an academy as part of the bid process for capital funding under the Building Schools for the Future programme.

Jim Knight: Authorities do not have to have academies or submit further proposals for academies in order to access Building Schools for the Future (BSF) funding. They must demonstrate how they will use BSF to raise standards in schools. "Strategy for Change" guidance makes clear that local authorities should undertake a proper and objective evaluation of academy options when developing their plans. Where an authority does not propose an academy as replacement for a poorly performing maintained school, it must be demonstrated that an equally strong alternative, innovative strategy is in place for raising standards at the school.

Building Schools for the Future Programme: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much the Building Schools for the Future programme has spent in Coventry.

Jim Knight: £100,000 of capital grant has been paid to Coventry local authority in respect of project support funding for Building Schools for the Future (BSF). The total capital investment for the Coventry BSF programme will be agreed when the project reaches financial close.

Children: Employment

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families with reference to the answer of 22 July 2008,  Official Report, column 1275W, on children: employment, what plans he has to amend regulations relating to the employment of children; and if he will make a statement.

Beverley Hughes: We do not currently have plans to amend the regulations relating to the employment of children. The Department for Children, Schools and Families has however issued guidance, in December 2008, on the existing law regulating child employment.

Children: Protection

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to ensure that children who have been identified as being at risk are adequately housed.

Beverley Hughes: The Framework for the Assessment of Children in Need and their Families (2000) is used for the assessment of all children in need, including cases where there are concerns that a child may be suffering significant harm. The framework provides a systematic basis for collecting and analysing information to support professional judgments about how to help children and families in the best interests of the child. Practitioners should use the framework to gain an understanding of the impact of wider family and environmental factors including adequate housing on the parents and child.
	Judgments taken by practitioners should take careful account of a number of issues on housing, such as: does the accommodation have basic amenities and facilities appropriate to the age and development of the child and other resident members and is the housing accessible and suitable to the needs of disabled family members? They should consider the interior and exterior of the accommodation and immediate surroundings and the provision of basic amenities including water, heating, sanitation, cooking facilities, sleeping arrangements and cleanliness, hygiene and safety and their impact on the child's upbringing.
	If the family are social tenants, or on the housing register, the issues practitioners should take into account may contribute to the family being awarded preference in a local authority's allocation scheme. The circumstances in which households need to be given "reasonable preference" include where people:
	are homeless;
	occupy unsanitary, overcrowded, or unsatisfactory housing conditions;
	need to move for medical or welfare reasons, including grounds relating to a disability; or
	need to move to avoid hardship

Children: Protection

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families when he plans to publish the results of the review on the availability of emergency accommodation for children and young people at risk.

Beverley Hughes: Since the publication of the Young Runaways Action Plan in June last year, the Department has been conducting a review of emergency accommodation provision for young runaways. A review of existing literature has been completed, and we have commissioned The Children's Society to conduct new research about the demand for emergency accommodation, and the most effective ways of providing it. As part of their research, the Children's Society have interviewed local authority officials, police officers, third sector partners and young people themselves. The evidence gathering phase is due to be completed in early May, and I anticipate that my officials will receive a draft of the report in early July. We will publish the findings of the report as soon as possible after that.

Departmental ICT

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many and what proportion of IT products in each category procured for each division of his Department were compliant with the Government's Buy Sustainable-Quick Win standard in the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The information as requested is not held centrally within the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). To respond accurately and to establish how many and what proportion of IT products in each category procured for each division of the Department were compliant with the Government's Buy Sustainable-Quick Win standard in the latest year would involve an extensive information collection exercise which would exceed the recommended disproportionate cost threshold. However, to be helpful, the following information has been provided.
	For all core and commonly purchased IT products the Department informs potential suppliers that they must first provide details of their compliance or otherwise with the Government's Buy Sustainable-Quick Win standard detailed at
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/sustainable/government/what/priority/consumption-production/quickWins/
	This information is then used when evaluating the suitability of each supplier to meet the Departments requirements.

Departmental Meetings

Graham Stuart: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families which officials from his Department were present at the meeting of 17 June 2008 between the Minister for Schools and David Gee; who took the minutes of that meeting; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: holding answer 28 April 2009
	I met with David Gee on 17 June 2008 to discuss National Curriculum testing. Also present at the meeting were the Chief Adviser for School Standards, the assessment team leader, and my Private Secretary, who took a note of the meeting.

Economics: Secondary Education

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will take steps to encourage more teaching of financial matters in secondary schools.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: It is crucial that all young people leave school with the skills and confidence to manage their money well. The revised curriculum for secondary schools introduced in September 2008, includes a new dedicated programme of study for "Economic Well Being and Financial Capability" as part of a revised Personal, Social, Health and Economic (PSHE) education. We have also said that, subject to consultation, we will make PSHE, which is currently non-statutory, part of the statutory national curriculum. Elements of financial capability are also delivered through other curriculum subjects. For example, Citizenship education, which is statutory at Key Stage 3 and 4, requires that 14 to 16-year-olds be taught how the economy functions, including the role of business and financial services. We are also introducing functional mathematics to the maths GCSE, which means that from 2010, all pupils who achieve a grade C or above will have mastered the basics.
	We are spending £11.5 million over three years to support delivery of financial education in schools. This money has been used to update and publish the curriculum guidance for financial capability in November 2008. It is funding the My Money programme, which delivers high quality training and support for local authorities and teachers so that they have the skills and confidence to teach effectively about personal finance. It also funds provision for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in financial capability for teachers.

Education Maintenance Allowance

Jon Cruddas: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what mechanism exists for the reappraisal of eligibility for education maintenance allowance as a result of changes in household income;
	(2)  what effect the redundancy of a family member in a household has on a young person's eligibility for education maintenance allowance if the redundancy occurs  (a) at the start of the academic year and  (b) later in the academic year;
	(3)  what mechanism is in place for the assistance of young people in households where income changes significantly in the course of an academic year as a result of  (a) bereavement and  (b) redundancy within the household;
	(4)  what recent assessment he has made of the financial needs of young people in households where income is significantly reduced because of redundancy;
	(5)  how many representations his Department has received on the reassessment of the eligibility for education maintenance allowance following the redundancy of a family member in the last 12 months.

Jim Knight: For most young people, eligibility for education maintenance allowance (EMA) is subject to an assessment of their household income based on the financial year prior to the academic year in which they start their course. A successful assessment provides a young person with a guaranteed entitlement of up to three years of EMA on the same rate, plus a guaranteed minimum level of non-repayable student support should they progress into higher education within three years.
	If there is a drop in income from one year to the next then a young person may apply to be reassessed for the subsequent academic year. They could be assessed as eligible for EMA where they were not previously, or an increased rate of it. They would receive the EMA guarantee based on the rate awarded following the most recent assessment.
	There are a limited number of exceptional circumstances in which a young person may apply to be reassessed for EMA during the academic year. Those circumstances are:
	(i) someone whose income was taken into account in determining financial eligibility has died;
	(ii) a person whose income was taken into account in determining financial eligibility has experienced a reduction in income due to their own disability, or the disability of any other person for whom he or she has responsibility as primary carer (disability means as defined in the Disability Discrimination Act 1995);
	(iii) Since the assessment of income was made, the young person has become estranged from their parents, guardians or someone else whose income was taken into account in determining financial eligibility;
	(iv) The young person has become a parent with responsibility for their own child.
	The financial needs of young people can be affected by a range of circumstances, including reductions in household income due to redundancy, or reduced working hours. EMA is not designed or intended to meet all of a learner's financial needs or to respond to in year fluctuations to household income. Other mechanisms exist to help with the costs of supporting young people aged 16 to 19 in learning. Recent increases to child benefit will provide additional support for parents regardless of income, and the increase to the child element of the child tax credit, a measure brought forward in the Budget, will provide substantial additional support to families. Tax credits are designed to tailor support to current circumstances and to be responsive to changing needs.
	In addition to the support provided to families, discretionary learner support funds are made available via the Learning and Skills Council to colleges and Local Authorities. This funding is provided to enable schools and colleges, using their discretion, to help individual learners facing hardship and financial barriers to learning that are not addressed through other mechanisms. This funding can be used to respond to any hardship needs of learners that may arise through sudden changes in circumstance.
	In the last 12 months the Department has responded to 21 pieces of correspondence and one telephone inquiry concerning reassessment for EMA following redundancy in the learner's household. The Learning and Skills Council (LSC) are responsible for the delivery of the scheme and estimate that, between 1 March 2008 and 1 March 2009, approximately 10 per cent. of the correspondence they have received about EMA (including that sent on via the Department) concerned income assessment policy—a proportion of these will have been in regard to in-year reassessment following a redundancy.

Education Maintenance Allowance: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many students in post-16 education in Coventry are in receipt of education maintenance allowance.

Jim Knight: This is a matter for the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) who operate the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF). Geoffrey Russell, the LSC's Acting Chief Executive, will write to the hon. Member for Coventry South with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the House Libraries.

Education: Finance

Geoffrey Cox: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what steps he is taking to ensure that schools and sixth form colleges in Torridge and West Devon constituency will be able to accept the number of pupils foreseen under the original budget allocation for 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: We have been working across Government to identify additional funding for the recent unanticipated surge in demand for education and training in part due to these exceptional economic times. Thanks to the £655 million funding announcement in the Budget, we will be able to deliver this and more, and fund learning for an additional 54,500 young people this year and next. The funding is split, £251 million in 2009-10 and £404 million in 2010-11, and will fund an additional 54,500 learners each year. This will mean that we have funding for at least 1,550,000 for 2009/10 and 2010/11.
	This will mean we can quickly reassure school and college leaders who had previously feared their financial allocations would not fund their growth in the number of young people wanting to continue learning. It will also mean that we can fund a further 20,000 young people who have yet to make their choice of learning place.
	The LSC are currently working through the final 2009-10 school sixth form and FE college allocations and will be writing out to them as soon as possible.

Families: Advisory Services

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will make an assessment of the  (a) effectiveness and  (b) availability of the provision by local authorities of family information services under the Childcare Act 2006.

Beverley Hughes: The Department for Children, Schools and Families recently published an evaluation of Family Information Services (FIS) in England. The evaluation included a user satisfaction survey, a survey of FIS managers and some case studies. It was commissioned to gauge the progress local authorities were making in implementing their statutory duty, set out in section 12 of the Childcare Act 2006, to provide information to parents about child care and other services to support their children up to age 19. This broader duty came into force in April 2008 and the field work for the evaluation was carried out between June and November 2008.
	The results of the evaluation are encouraging with respect to effectiveness and availability.
	In terms of effectiveness, the study found that satisfaction rates among users were extremely high:
	97 per cent. of those who contacted the service said they were satisfied with the advice they received.
	85 per cent. of those who had previously gone to another organisation with similar queries said the advice they received from the FIS was better or as good.
	In terms of availability of the provision, the research found that FIS offered a range of contact methods for users:
	All offered a telephone helpline (100 per cent.) and email helpline (100 per cent.).
	The vast majority offered a website for information (99 per cent.) and access through Children's Centres (95 per cent.).
	97 per cent. of managers said their FIS provided outreach services of some kind and 50 per cent. said they had increased outreach to assist in the delivery of the extended information duty. Outreach was mainly conducted through Children's Centres (82 per cent.), events in the community (56 per cent.), health centres (51 per cent.) and schools (48 per cent.).
	The evaluation also shows that many local authorities need to do more to ensure they meet the needs of parents. This Department will continue to work with them to do so.

Outdoor Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much time he expects trainee teachers to spend with pupils outside the classroom as part of their training.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The statutory standards for Qualified Teacher Status (QTS) and requirements for Initial Teacher Training do not include such a requirement. QTS standard Q30 requires that trainees should be able to identify opportunities for children and young people to learn in the school grounds and in out-of-school contexts such as museums, theatres, field centres and work settings. The guidance that accompanies the standards and requirements explains that trainees should be able to plan out-of-classroom work that relates to current learning, that is appropriate to the age and ability of learners, and that helps learners to make progress. In order to meet the standard, trainees are not expected to undertake out-of-school visits, or to take sole responsibility for the organisation and leadership of any such visits.

Outdoor Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what support is available to newly-qualified teachers to assist in the provision of teaching outside the classroom.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department has led the development of "Out and About" guidance to support the delivery of high-quality learning outside the classroom. Alongside this, six CPD modules provide training materials that can be used by, for example, schools, local authorities, and Initial Teacher Training providers. The intention is to help teachers make the most of opportunities for learning outside the classroom and to help them prepare, run, and follow up these activities. The Department also supports the Teaching Outside the Classroom initiative which supports the development of placements for training teachers in settings other than schools. These can be anything from museums and galleries to city farms or environmental centres.

Outdoor Education

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what assessment he has made of the effects on the academic performance of pupils of educational field trips.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department and our Learning Outside the Classroom Manifesto partners have gathered a bank of research evidence, including research conducted by the Department, which demonstrates that all forms of learning outside the classroom contribute to raising achievement, and to the personal development and well-being of children and young people. These, together with powerful arguments making the case for the importance of learning outside the classroom, are available on the website:
	www.lotc.org.uk

Primary Education: Construction

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what the average cost of building a new primary school was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jim Knight: The Department does not hold data on average expenditure on primary school buildings. Levels of investment are decided locally and authorities may add funding from other sources to the schools capital allocations they receive from government. However, a typical average-size primary school could be expected to cost £3 million to £4 million depending on location and site factors.
	Central Government capital support for investment in schools has increased from under £700 million to a planned £7.3 billion by 2010-11.

Schools: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what financial assistance his Department has given to  (a) primary and  (b) secondary schools in Coventry in the last 12 months.

Jim Knight: Total revenue funding for pupils aged 3-19 for Coventry local authority for 2008-09 was £234.4 million. This figure is in cash terms.
	A split of funding by primary and secondary schools is not available as the main source of funding by the Department through the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG). The DSG is a funding distribution mechanism with a single guaranteed unit of funding for each pupil in an LA. The DSG is the per pupil funding from DCSF to an LA but, subject to satisfying the minimum funding guarantee for schools, it is left up to the LA to decide locally how much to fund their individual schools (via their local formula).

Schools: Finance

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much of the dedicated schools grant was reimbursed to local authorities in each of the last three years; how much was reimbursed to local authorities in the case of each local authority in each year; how much was reimbursed for spending  (a) within the schools budget and  (b) on other local authority functions in each year; and what percentage of the schools grant this represents in each case.

Jim Knight: The Dedicated Schools Grant is the core funding for schools, allocated on an annual basis to local authorities using a guaranteed unit of funding per pupil. For 2009-10, the current indicative allocations for DSG amount to £29.8 billion, an average of £4,218 per pupil. The DSG must be used on the Schools Budget, which covers both funding delegated to maintained schools and other provision for pupils such as provision in pupil referral units; for high cost pupils; and early years provision in private, voluntary and independent sector providers.

Schools: Governing Bodies

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families if he will take steps to increase the opportunities for school children to participate in school governance structures.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Government are committed to ensuring that young people have the opportunity to participate in decisions that affect them in their schools. The vast majority of schools already have School Councils and find them an effective way of engaging with pupils' views. Schools use ways to engage their pupils and they have found a range of benefits in doing so including an improvement in relationships within the school and in the morale and confidence of their pupils. The engagement of young people is vital in shaping education and services to meet their needs. However, it is not for the Government to prescribe how schools should engage their pupils in the decision making process.
	We will continue to work with schools to ensure that all pupils' views are heard and valued.

Schools: Recycling

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families 
	(1)  what guidance his Department gives school governors on the setting up and running of on-site recycling facilities at schools;
	(2)  what proportion of schools provide on-site recycling facilities;
	(3)  what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of arrangements for recycling in schools.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The Department published "A Governor's Guide to Sustainable Schools" in June 2007 which is a practical guidance to help governors understand the benefits of a sustainable school. The strategies outlined are not only about auditing current patterns—from energy and water to food and drink—but also how to think creatively to build a sustainable future.
	The Department has also published "Top Tips to reduce waste in schools" in May 2007. This document provides schools with ten tips on how to minimise waste and promotes recycling, including advice on working with local authorities and communicating with staff, school stakeholders and pupils.
	The Department does not collect information relating to the number of schools which provide on-site recycling facilities or assessments on the arrangements for recycling in schools. The National Framework for Sustainable Schools allows schools to plot their own progress towards becoming a sustainable schools which could mean that schools will not follow the doorways route in the order which is published. We have also produced guidance to help self-evaluate and to plan their progress to becoming a fully sustainable school by 2020.

Schools: Transport

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how much was spent on school transport in  (a) Hemel Hempstead and  (b) Hertfordshire in the latest period for which figures are available.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: Figures are not available for the parliamentary constituency of Hemel Hempstead as data are collected at a local authority level. The available information on how much was spent on school transport in the Hertfordshire local authority in the latest period for which figures are available (2007-08) is contained in the following table:
	
		
			   Net current expenditure on home to school transport 
			 England 890,257,904 
			   
			 Hertfordshire 21,560,399 
			  Notes: 1. 2007-08 data remain provisional and subject to change by local authority. 2. Data are drawn from local authorities' 2007-08 Section 52 Outturn Statements (Table A) submitted to the DCSF. 3. Cash term figures as reported by local authorities as at 23 April 2009.

Secondary Education: Admissions

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what percentage of children were accepted at their first choice of secondary school in  (a) Northamptonshire and  (b) England in the latest period for which figures are available.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: This year's data on offers of secondary school places was published on 12 March. Figures for Northamptonshire local authority show that 83.7 per cent. of children resident in the authority who are eligible to transfer to secondary school in September 2009, and who applied for a place, were offered their first choice school. Last year this figure was 81.6 per cent.
	The figures for England show that 83.2 per cent. of children who are eligible to transfer to secondary school in September 2009, and who applied for a place, were offered their first choice school. The figure for 2008 was 82 per cent.
	The full statistical report 'DCSF: Secondary School Applications and Offers' is available at:
	http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/rsgateway/

Sixth Form Education: Finance

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what sixth form funding allocation was made for each local education authority by the Learning and Skills Council on  (a) 2 March and  (b) at the end of March; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The LSC hold the information you have requested. Geoff Russell, the LSC's Acting Chief Executive will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries.
	We have been working across Government to identify additional funding for the recent unanticipated surge in demand for education and training in part due to these exceptional economic times. Thanks to the £655 million funding announcement in the Budget, we will be able to deliver this and more, and fund learning for an additional 54,500 young people this year and next.
	The funding is split £251 million in 2009-10 and £404 million in 2010-11 and will fund an additional 54,500 learners each year. This will mean that we have funding for at least 1,550,000 for 2009-10 and 2010-11.
	This will mean we can quickly reassure school and college leaders who had previously feared their financial allocations would not fund their growth in the number of young people wanting to continue learning. It will also mean that we can fund a further 20,000 young people who have yet to make their choice of learning place.
	The LSC are currently working through the final 2009-10 school sixth form and FE college allocations and will be writing out to them as soon as possible.

Sixth Form Education: Finance

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent representations he has received on funding allocations issued to schools and colleges for 16 to 18 year learners in the London Borough of Bexley.

Jim Knight: We have been working across Government to identify additional funding for the recent unanticipated surge in demand for education and training in part due to these exceptional economic times. Thanks to the £655 million funding announcement in the Budget, we will be able to deliver this and more, and fund learning for an additional 54,500 young people this year and next. The funding is split £251 million in 2009-10 and £404 million in 2010-11 and will fund an additional 54,500 learners each year. This will mean that we have funding for at least 1,550,000 for 2009/10 and 2010/11.
	This will mean we can quickly reassure school and college leaders who had previously feared their financial allocations would not fund their growth in the number of young people wanting to continue learning. It will also mean that we can fund a further 20,000 young people who have yet to make their choice of learning place.
	The LSC are currently working through the final 2009-10 school sixth form and FE college allocations and will be writing out to them as soon as possible. At close of business on 21 April 2009 the Department had received two written representations in respect of the 16-18 funding allocations (2009-10) from head teachers in the London borough of Bexley.

Sixth Form Education: Finance

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what estimate he has made of the number of schools expected to receive a reduction in their per pupil funding for 16 to 19-year-olds in 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: We have been working across Government to identify additional funding for the recent unanticipated surge in demand for education and training in part due to these exceptional economic times. Thanks to the £655 million funding announcement in the Budget, we will be able to deliver this and more, and fund learning for an additional 54,500 young people this year and next. The funding is split £251 million in 2009-10 and £404 million in 2010-11 and will fund an additional 54,500 learners each year. This will mean that we have funding for at least 1,550,000 for 2009/10 and 2010/11.
	This will mean we can quickly reassure school and college leaders who had previously feared their financial allocations would not fund their growth in the number of young people wanting to continue learning. It will also mean that we can fund a further 20,000 young people who have yet to make their choice of learning place.
	The LSC are currently working through the final 2009-10 school sixth form and FE college allocations and will be writing out to them as soon as possible. The LSC hold the information you have requested. I am therefore copying this PQ to Geoff Russell, the LSC's Acting Chief Executive so that he can respond with the information the hon. Member has requested. A copy of his reply will be placed in the House Libraries.

Sixth Form Education: Finance

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what formula is used to calculate the amount of funding a sixth form will receive; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: The LSC hold the information you have requested. Geoff Russell, the LSC's Acting Chief Executive will write to the hon. Member with the information you have requested and a copy of his reply will be placed in the Libraries.

Sixth Form Education: Finance

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what recent discussions he has had with the Learning and Skills Council on the funding of schools with sixth forms where the numbers of pupils exceed the stated anticipated numbers; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: Following the announcement in the Budget of £655 million of additional funding, the LSC have written to schools and colleges to give them the immediate reassurance they will receive the funding for learners they have already planned for and outline the next steps.

Sixth Form Education: Finance

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families under what circumstances schools receive exceptional funding support for sixth forms; and if he will make a statement.

Jim Knight: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 25 February 2009,  Official Report, column 815W.

Sixth Form Education: Hertfordshire

David Gauke: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families what changes were made in the final allocation funding for sixth forms in Hertfordshire for 2009-10 compared with the previous funding estimates.

Jim Knight: holding answer 22 April 2009
	 We have been working across Government to identify additional funding for the recent unanticipated surge in demand for education and training in part due to these exceptional economic times. Thanks to the £655 million funding announcement in the Budget, we will be able to deliver this and more, and fund learning for an additional 54,500 young people this year and next.
	The funding is split £251 million in 2009-10 and £404 million in 2010-11 and will fund an additional 54,500 learners each year. This will mean that we have funding for at least 1,550,000 for 2009/10 and 2010/11.
	This will mean we can quickly reassure school and college leaders who had previously feared their financial allocations would not fund their growth in the number of young people wanting to continue learning. It will also mean that we can fund a further 20,000 young people who have yet to make their choice of learning place.
	The LSC are currently working through the final 2009-10 school sixth form and FE college allocations and will be writing out to them as soon as possible.

Special Educational Needs

Tim Loughton: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families pursuant to the answer of 20 April 2009,  Official Report, columns 271-72W, on special educational needs, what types of expenditure are accounted for within the category of inter-authority recoupment.

Sarah McCarthy-Fry: The category of inter-authority recoupment reports expenditure and income in relation to the additional costs of educating pupils who live in one local authority but are educated in another local authority. Inter-authority recoupment applies to pupils with statements of special educational needs, those in special schools (with or without statements) and children educated in hospitals or by bedside tuition. The local authority providing the education is entitled to charge the local authority in which the child lives for a contribution to the costs of the education.

Teachers: Training

Michael Gove: To ask the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families how many of the graduate teacher programme places made available by the Training and Development Agency in 2008-09 were eligible for a salary grant; and what percentage of the places made available this represents.

Jim Knight: There were 4,335 salary and training grant places allocated by the Training and Development Agency for Schools and these represent 93 per cent. of all graduate teacher programme places in academic year 2008/09.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

Admiralty House

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster for how long each of the two vacant ministerial residences in Admiralty House have been vacant.

Tom Watson: One flat has been vacant since 30 June 2006 and the other since 27 June 2007.

Civil Servants: Allowances

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster whether the Cabinet Office has issued guidance to Government Departments and agencies in respect of the award of excess fares allowances to civil servants.

Tom Watson: The rules on the payment of travel expenses are set out in the Civil Service Management Code, a copy of which is available in the House Library.
	The code can also be accessed at:
	http://beta.civilservice.gov.uk/about/work/codes/csmc/index.aspx

Civil Servants: Political Impartiality

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  whether the National Whitley Council Agreement on Facilities for Industrial Relations Duties and Trade Union Activities in the Non-Industrial Civil Service  (a) permits or  (b) prohibits the use of office facilities, including telephones and computers, by trades union representatives for activity of a political nature;
	(2)  whether the National Whitley Council Agreement on Facilities for Industrial Relations Duties and Trade Union Activities in the Non-Industrial Civil Service  (a) permits or  (b) prohibits paid leave in respect of attendance at conferences or union meetings of a political nature by trades union representatives.

Tom Watson: The National Whitley Council Agreement on Facilities for Industrial Relations Duties and Trade Union Activities in the Non-Industrial Civil Service is no longer an extant document and the authority to grant facilities/time off to trade unions representatives is delegated to departments. The rules relating to civil servants' involvement in political activities, including elected trade union representatives are set out in the civil service management code.

Civil Service: Location

Stephen Byers: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many Civil Service jobs have been re-located from London to  (a) Wales,  (b) Scotland,  (c) Northern Ireland and  (d) each English region in (i) 2006-07, (ii) 2007-08 and (iii) 2008-09.

Yvette Cooper: I have been asked to reply.
	The late relocation figures are published on the Office of Government Commerce website:
	http://www.ogc.gov.uk/efficiency_recources_government_ relocation_portal.asp

Departmental Air Conditioning

Grant Shapps: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  how many of his Department's buildings are equipped with air conditioning systems with output greater than 250kW; how many of these systems have been inspected under the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 since the Regulations entered into force; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each inspection report;
	(2)  how much has been spent by his Department on carrying out inspections of air conditioning systems within departmental buildings in accordance with the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 since the Regulations entered into force.

Kevin Brennan: The Cabinet Office currently has two buildings within its central London Estate equipped with an air conditioning system output greater than 250 kW. One location is a new installation and commissioned after January 2008 and therefore does not require testing until five years from the date of commissioning. The other building has recently undergone work to relocate the chiller plant and it is not possible to carry out an inspection of the plant until it has been completed and commissioned. Both of these locations have six monthly planned maintenance regimes in place.
	Statutory testing is included into the Planned Preventative Maintenance (PPM) regime and forms an integral part of the Cabinet Office's Total Facilities Management Contract.
	The Department has not yet been required to carry out air conditioning inspections under the regulations for the reason previously stated. Copies of the reports will be placed in the Library in due course.

Departmental Disciplinary Proceedings

Paul Goodman: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many officials in his Department are suspended; how many are suspended on full pay; for how long each has been suspended; and what the reasons are for each such suspension.

Tom Watson: There are no officials currently suspended within Cabinet Office.

Members: Correspondence

Norman Lamb: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he plans to reply to the letter of 14 November 2008 from the hon. Member for North Norfolk on meetings of the Prime Minister held at Chequers.

Tom Watson: holding answer 12 February 2009
	A response has been sent to the hon. Member.

Ministers: Official Residences

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many Ministerial residences are unoccupied.

Tom Watson: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to the hon. Member for Fareham (Mr. Hoban) on 18 June 2008,  Official Report, column 920W.

Non-Departmental Public Bodies

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will undertake an audit of the efficiency of non-departmental public bodies.

Tom Watson: It is Government policy that all non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) are reviewed on a regular basis. It is for individual sponsor Departments to determine the exact timing and format of the review.

Non-profit Making Associations: Essex

Simon Burns: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the effect of the recession on not-for-profit organisations in  (a) West Chelmsford constituency and  (b) Essex;
	(2)  how many not-for-profit organisations have closed in  (a) West Chelmsford constituency and  (b) Essex since the start of the recession.

Kevin Brennan: The Cabinet Office does not systematically collect data on the number of not-for-profit organisations that have closed since the start of the recession either by constituency or across England.

Non-profit Making Associations: Government Assistance

Margaret Moran: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what support the Government are providing to social enterprise during the economic downturn; what steps he has taken to inform social enterprises of the availability of that support; and if he will make a statement.

Kevin Brennan: Social enterprises are businesses and can benefit from all government support for business. This includes extra support during the recession through the "Real Help Now" packages for business and finance highlighted by BERR and OTS (details available through Business Link).
	In addition, new programmes such as the Modernisation Fund announced in "Real Help for Communities", the Government's action plan to support the third sector during the economic downturn, are relevant to social enterprise. This action plan also includes new investment in the School for Social Entrepreneurs, and announced an independent review on the incentives for investment in social enterprises, a review on the limits on distributions by CICs and support to the sector to market themselves successfully as the economy recovers.
	Budget 2009 announced further support for the third sector. This includes a £20 million hardship fund to support third sector organisations delivering front-line services to the most vulnerable and disadvantaged in society and an additional £18.75 million to the Growth Fund to boost the ability of lenders, such as credit unions and community development financial institutions, to make affordable loans to financially excluded customers. In addition it announced a consultation on the design and functions of a Social Investment Wholesale Bank to support the long-term growth of the third sector.
	The Office of the Third Sector promotes all Government measures to support social enterprises through its website, its network of strategic partners, including the Social Enterprise Coalition, and through a series of regional road shows. Road shows include one in Cambridge at Abington Hall on Monday 8 June, and one in central London at the Abbey Community Centre in Westminster on Thursday 7 May.

Public Appointments

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what information the Commissioner for Public Appointments holds on the public appointments to be made in the next 24 months.

Tom Watson: Individual Government Departments manage the processes for ministerial appointments to vacancies on the boards of the individual public bodies for which they are responsible. The Commissioner for Public Appointments regulates the appointments process. She publishes an annual report which includes statistical information on appointments and re-appointments within her remit that have been made during the reporting year. She does not collect information on future public appointments.

Public Appointments

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many public appointments were made in the last 12 months according to records held by the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Tom Watson: The Commissioner for Public Appointments reports annually on the number of ministerial appointments and re-appointments to the boards of public bodies within her remit that have been made in the reporting year. Information on appointments and re-appointments for 2007-08 was published on 27 October 2008. Information for 2008-09 will be published in the Commissioner's Annual Report in the autumn.

Public Appointments

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster for what reasons and on what date the Cabinet Office's Public Appointments Unit was disbanded.

Tom Watson: The Cabinet Office Public Appointments Unit was disbanded in July 2007 and its responsibilities transferred elsewhere within the Department. This was in response to recommendations arising from the 2006 Capability Review of the Cabinet Office and is part of an ongoing programme of change within the Department designed to ensure that the Cabinet Office is operating efficiently and effectively and well placed to meet the challenges ahead.

Public Bodies

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what public sector bodies were classified as part of the Civil Service in 1997.

Tom Watson: Those organisations that were classified as part of the Civil Service as at 1 April 1997 are shown in the publication "Civil Service Statistics 1997". The publication can be found on the Civil Service website at the following address:
	http://www.civilservice.gov.uk/about/who/statistics/archived-reports.aspx
	A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House.
	The organisations listed in the above publication consist of main Government Departments, their executive agencies, together with three executive non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs): Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service (ACAS), Health and Safety Commission, and the Health and Safety Executive.

Public Sector: Pay

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what his latest estimate is of the number of retired public sector workers to have been underpaid as a result of errors in the administration of their state pension.

Tom Watson: I refer the right hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Northavon (Steve Webb) by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 25 March 2009,  Official  R eport, column 562W.

Public Service Forum

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 5 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1453W, on the Public Service Forum, 
	(1)  what the  (a) remit and  (b) function of the Forum is;
	(2)  on what dates the Public Service Forum has met; who attended each meeting; and what the dates are of meetings of the Forum scheduled in the next 12 months.

Tom Watson: The Public Services Forum (PSF) was formed in 2003. Its aim is to improve dialogue between Government, public service employers and trade unions on workforce reform issues in public services.
	It has met three times a year until 2008 when this was increased to four times a year. The last meeting of the PSF took place on 5 March 2009.
	The ministerial chair invites public service employers and trade union representatives in roughly equal numbers to attend the PSF and to engage in dialogue with the Government on public service workforce issues. Since 2008, the CBI, Business Services Association, Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations and the National Council of Voluntary Organisations have also sent representatives to some meetings.

Public Service Forum

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 5 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1453W, on the Public Service Forum, if he will place in the Library a copy of  (a) each set of meeting notes and  (b) the minutes of each meeting of the Forum to date.

Tom Watson: A note of the 5 March 2009 Public Services Forum will be placed in the Library of the House and published on the internet. Each further Public Services Forum meeting will be published on the departmental website.

Stress

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what estimate he has made of the number of working days lost in the Cabinet Office as a result of workplace stress in the most recent year for which figures are available.

Tom Watson: The Cabinet Office is committed to the health and well-being of its staff and has policies and support in place to manage and reduce workplace stress.
	A summary of the Department's absence data is published quarterly on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/reports/absence.aspx
	Copies will be placed in the Library.

Trade Unions

Francis Maude: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster pursuant to the answer of 2 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 943-44W, on trade unions, whether special leave may be granted for trade union representatives to undertake political activities relating to their trade union responsibilities.

Tom Watson: Union representatives are all civil servants and as such are bound by the civil service code.
	The rules relating to civil servants' involvement in political activities, including elected trade union representatives are set out in the civil service management code.

Voluntary Organisations: Finance

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster how many third sector organisations with international operations receive funding from his Department.

Kevin Brennan: The Office of the Third Sector provides funding only for programmes undertaken in England.

Voluntary Organisations: Finance

Keith Vaz: To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster what financial criteria are used to assess the eligibility of a third sector organisation for allocation of funding.

Kevin Brennan: I refer the right hon. Member to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for West Lancashire (Rosie Cooper) on 20 April 2009,  Official Report, column 354W.

HEALTH

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

Paul Burstow: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many alcohol-related hospital admissions of  (a) men and  (b) women aged (i) under 10 years, (ii) between 10 and 16 years, (iii) between 17 and 21 years, (iv) between 22 and 26 years and (v) over 26 years there were in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The information requested is given in the following table. Data are only available from 2002- 03 to 2007-08.
	
		
			  Number of finished admissions in England of patients with an alcohol-related condition, by age, sex and year 
			   Age  2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			 
			  Male Under 10 109 107 105 103 77 79 
			  10 to 16 3,580 3,792 4,008 4,214 4,340 3,986 
			  17 to 21 9,890 11,042 12,270 13,940 14,677 15,026 
			  22 to 26 9,990 11,127 12,646 14,375 15,047 15,332 
			  Over 26 289,419 325,053 369,709 423,744 464,939 502,942 
			 
			 
			  Female Under 10 55 61 68 56 58 49 
			  10 to 16 3,948 4,472 4,869 5,255 5,214 5,408 
			  17 to 21 7,979 8,695 9,772 11,729 11,856 13,007 
			  22 to 26 7,873 8,444 9,470 11,237 11,634 12,132 
			  Over 26 177,330 196,625 221,267 250,859 271,276 295,296 
			  Notes: 1. Includes activity in English National Health Service Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector. 2. Alcohol-related admissions: The number of alcohol-related admissions is based on the methodology developed by the North West Public Health Observatory. Following international best practice, the NWPHO methodology includes a wide range of diseases and injuries in which alcohol plays a part and estimates the proportion of cases that are attributable to the consumption of alcohol. Details of the conditions and associated proportions can be found in the report Jones et al. (2008) Alcohol-attributable fractions for England: Alcohol-attributable mortality and hospital admissions. Figures for under 16s only include admissions where one or more alcohol-specific conditions were listed. This is because the research on which the attributable fractions are based does not cover under 16s. Alcohol-specific conditions are those that are wholly attributed to alcohol—that is, those with an attributable fraction of one. They are: Alcoholic cardiomyopathy (142.6) Alcoholic gastritis (K29.2) Alcoholic liver disease (K70) Alcoholic myopathy (G72.1) Alcoholic polyneuropathy (G62.1) Alcohol-induced pseudo-Cushing's syndrome (E24.4) Chronic pancreatitis (alcohol induced) (K86.0) Degeneration of nervous system due to alcohol (G31.2) Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of alcohol (F10) Accidental poisoning by and exposure to alcohol (X45) Ethanol poisoning (T51.0) Methanol poisoning (T51.1) Toxic effect of alcohol, unspecified (T51.9) 3. Number of episodes in which the patient had an alcohol-related primary or secondary diagnosis: These figures represent the number of episodes where an alcohol-related diagnosis was recorded in any of the 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) primary and secondary diagnosis fields in a Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) record. Each episode is only counted once in each count, even if an alcohol-related diagnosis is recorded in more than one diagnosis field of the record. 4. Ungrossed data: Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed). 5. Finished admission episodes: A finished admission episode is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Finished admission episodes are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of inpatients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. 6. Primary diagnosis: The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the HES data set and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital. 7. Secondary diagnosis: As well as the primary diagnosis, there are up to 19 (13 from 2002-03 to 2007-08 and six prior to 2002-03) secondary diagnosis fields in HES that show other diagnoses relevant to the episode of care. 8. Data quality: HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts in England. Data are also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. 9. Assessing growth through time: HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. The quality and coverage of the data have improved over time. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Some of the increase in figures for later years (particularly 2006-07 onwards) may be due to the improvement in the coverage of independent sector activity. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example, a number of procedures may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and may no longer be accounted for in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time. 10. Assignment of episodes to years: Years are assigned by the end of the first period of care in a patient's hospital stay. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care

Alcoholic Drinks: Misuse

James Brokenshire: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Bolton North East of 10 February 2009,  Official Report, column 1923W, on alcoholic drinks: misuse, when he expects figures for alcohol-related admissions to hospital for 2007-08 to be available.

Dawn Primarolo: Figures for 2007-08 for alcohol-related admissions to hospital are shown in the following table.
	Number of alcohol-related finished hospital admissions in England from 2003-04 to 2007-08, the latest year for which figures are available.
	
		
			   Number of alcohol-related finished hospital admissions in England 
			 2003-04 569,418 
			 2004-05 644,184 
			 2005-06 735,512 
			 2006-07 799,118 
			 2007-08 863,257

Blood Transfusions

Neil Gerrard: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect of testing for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in blood products on the supply of red cells, platelets and plasma in the UK; and whether his Department is assessing the merits of importing such products.

Dawn Primarolo: At present, there is no validated test for variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) suitable for the mass screening of blood donations on the market, although the technology is under development. The UK blood services have already conducted research to assess the impact of introducing such a test on blood supply. Further research is planned to explore the potential impact of a vCJD test on the behaviour of donors and potential donors. This will assist in decision making and planning to ensure the future safety and sufficiency of the blood supply for patients.
	NHS Blood and Transplant has also conducted preliminary research into whether red cells could be imported from Europe, as under European Union law all donated blood must meet the same standards of safety and quality. The independent Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs, which advises the Government on matters of blood safety, will consider steps to reduce the risk of vCJD disease, including importation of red cells and fresh frozen plasma, at meetings in April and July 2009.

Coeliac Disease

Gordon Banks: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evaluation his Department has undertaken of the uptake of National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence recommendations on the treatment of coeliac disease.

Dawn Primarolo: The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence are expected to publish their guidelines, the recognition and diagnosis of coeliac disease, very shortly. The Department has therefore not made any evaluation of the uptake of these recommendations.

Depressive Illnesses

Laurence Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he has had with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) on guidelines for the treatment and management of depression in adults; when he expects NICE to issue new guidelines; what role he will play in the process; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: We have had no discussions with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) about the clinical guidelines currently in development on depression in adults and depression in adults with chronic physical health problems. NICE currently expects to issue final guidance for both clinical guidelines in September 2009.
	NICE is an independent organisation and its guidance is based on a thorough assessment of the available evidence and is developed through wide consultation with stakeholders. The Department is a stakeholder in the development of NICE guidance and has responded to the recent consultations on the draft guidance for these two clinical guidelines.

Drugs: Misuse

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on implementation of provisions relating to drug users in the Welfare Reform Bill.

Phil Hope: The Secretary of State for Health regularly discusses matters of joint interest with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, including the provisions in the Welfare Reform Bill.

Hospitals: Construction

Rudi Vis: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average cost of building a new district hospital in England was in the latest period for which figures are available.

Ben Bradshaw: An indicative cost of building a medium-sized general acute hospital is approximately £280 million (excluding VAT) which reflects the current business case approval information. The cost includes the capital construction cost for a new 418-bed hospital built on a greenfield site, together with supporting services such as operating theatres, outpatient department, accident and emergency services, catering, office accommodation, public areas, pharmacy, pathology and radiography. The cost also includes for equipment costs and professional fees incurred. It does not include the running costs to make the hospital operational, such as staffing and other facilities management services.

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated for healthcare-acquired infections in West Chelmsford constituency in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: The information requested is not collected centrally. The best available data are from the mandatory surveillance system operated for the Department by the Health Protection Agency, which covers methicillin-resistant  Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bloodstream infections, Clostridium difficile (C. difficile) infections, glycopeptide-resistant enterococci infections, and orthopaedic surgical site infections (SSIs).
	Data are not available by parliamentary constituency but by acute national health service trust. The following tables provide data for the Mid-Essex hospital services NHS trust.
	All acute NHS trusts in England are obliged to report all cases of bloodstream infections caused by MRSA.
	
		
			  Number of cases of bloodstream infections caused by MRSA 
			  April to March each year  Mid-Essex hospital  services NHS trust 
			 2001-02 44 
			 2002-03 33 
			 2003-04 43 
			 2004-05 41 
			 2005-06 38 
			 2006-07 12 
			 2007-08 9 
			  Notes: 1. These data comprise all specimens processed by acute NHS trust laboratories, not just those from in-patients, and include infections acquired in hospital and elsewhere. 2. These data are only available by financial year. 
		
	
	All acute NHS trusts in England are obliged to report all cases of C. difficile infection in people aged 65 years and over. In April 2007, mandatory surveillance was extended to include all patients aged two years and over.
	
		
			  Number of cases of C. difficile infection in people  aged 65 years and over 
			   Mid-Essex hospital  services NHS trust 
			 2004 164 
			 2005 268 
			 2006 277 
			 2007 133 
		
	
	
		
			  Number of cases of C. difficile infection in people  aged two years and over 
			  April to March each year  Mid-Essex hospital  services NHS trust 
			 2007 171 
			  Note: These data comprise all specimens processed by acute NHS trust laboratories, not just those from in-patients, and include infections acquired in hospital and elsewhere. 
		
	
	All acute NHS trusts in England are obliged to report all cases of blood stream infections caused by glycopeptide-resistant enterococci.
	
		
			  Number of cases of blood stream infections caused by glycopeptide-resistant enterococci 
			  October to September each year  Mid-Essex hospital  services NHS trust 
			 2003-04 0 
			 2004-05 0 
			 2005-06 4 
			 2006-07 4 
			  Notes: 1. These data comprise all specimens processed by acute NHS trust laboratories, not just those from in-patients, and include infections acquired in hospital and elsewhere. 2. These data are available from October to September; they are not available by calendar year. 
		
	
	Since 2004, data have been collected from the mandatory surveillance of SSIs in orthopaedic categories in NHS hospitals in England. Hospitals carrying out orthopaedic surgery have to participate in the surveillance of at least one category for at least one quarter of the year.
	
		
			  Number of SSIs in orthopaedic categories for Mid-Essex hospital services NHS trust 
			   2004-05  2005-06  2006-07  2007-08 
			  Surgical category  Number of operations  SSIs  Number of operations  SSIs  Number of operations  SSIs  Number of operations  SSIs 
			 Hip prosthesis 205 4 325 3 416 1 367 0 
			 Knee prosthesis 209 2 358 0 343 0 396 0 
			 Open reduction of long bone fracture 109 2 200 1 211 3 223 0 
			 Hip hemiarthroplasty 105 6 136 0 103 0 134 0 
			  Note: All of the SSIs reported are identified during the in-patient period.

Hospitals: Infectious Diseases

Simon Burns: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were screened for healthcare-acquired infections in West Chelmsford constituency in each of the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: The information requested is not collected centrally. From 1 April this year, the national health service has been screening all relevant elective admissions for Methicillin-resistant  Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and will be expanding this to include emergency admissions by 2011.
	It is not appropriate to screen for all healthcare associated infections, and screening for healthcare associated infections other than MRSA is a matter for local determination according to clinical appropriateness and risk.

Liver Diseases

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many  (a) females and  (b) males aged (i) under 16, (ii) from 17 to 21, (iii) from 22 to 26 and (iv) over 26 years old were admitted to hospital with alcohol-related liver conditions in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The following table provides an estimate of the number of people admitted to hospital with alcoholic liver disease and uses the international classification of diseases (ICD)-I0 codes K70, K73 and K74, which are the codes for liver disease that is wholly or partially attributable to alcohol. Estimates of the number of people are based on an admission/person ratio are not yet available for 2007-08.
	
		
			  Estimate of people admitted to hospital in England with a primary or secondary diagnosis for alcoholic liver disease, by sex (males (M) and females (F)) and age group, between 2002-03 to 2006-07 
			   2002-03  2003-04  2004-05  2005-06  2006-07 
			   M  F  M  F  M  F  M  F  M  F 
			 16 or under 0 0 1 0 0 2 2 1 0 0 
			 17 to 21 34 34 32 42 40 38 38 34 39 32 
			 22 to 26 87 52 75 59 69 68 92 73 102 66 
			 Over 26 11,935 6,656 12,840 7,219 13,410 7,510 14,364 7,832 15,307 8,322 
			 Total 12,055 6,742 12,949 7,321 13,519 7,619 14,496 7,939 15,448 8,420 
			  Notes: Data represent activity in English national health service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector  Alcohol-related admissions The number of alcohol-related admissions is based on the methodology developed by the North West Public Health Observatory (NWPHO). Following international best practice, the NWPHO methodology includes a wide range of diseases and injuries in which alcohol plays a part and estimates the proportion of cases that are attributable to the consumption of alcohol. Details of the conditions and associated proportions can be found in the report Jones et al. (2008) Alcohol-attributable fractions for England: Alcohol-attributable mortality and hospital admissions. Figures for under-16s only include admissions where one or more alcohol specific conditions were listed. This is because the research on which the attributable fractions are based does not cover under 16s. Alcohol specific conditions are those that are wholly attributed to alcohol—that is, those with an attributable fraction of one. The ICD-10 codes used to answer this PQ are K70, K73 and K74, which are the codes for liver disease that is wholly or partially attributable to alcohol. K70 has an attributable fraction of one, K73 and K74 have an overall attributable fraction of 0.73 for males and 0.50 for females. Number of patients who had an alcohol-related primary or secondary diagnosis These figures represent the number of patients where an alcohol-related diagnosis was recorded in any of the 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) primary and secondary diagnosis fields in a hospital episode statistics (HES) record. Each episode is only counted once in each count, even if an alcohol-related diagnosis is recorded in more than one diagnosis field of the record.  Ungrossed data Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).  Primary diagnosis The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the HES data set and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital.  Secondary diagnosis As well as the primary diagnosis, there are up to 19 (13 from 2002-03 to 2007-08 and six prior to 2002-03) secondary diagnosis fields in HES that show other diagnoses relevant to the episode of care.  Data quality HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. Data are also received from a number of independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.  Assessing growth through time HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. The quality and coverage of the data have improved over time. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Some of the increase in figures for later years (particularly 2006-07 onwards) may be due to the improvement in the coverage of independent sector activity. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example, a number of procedures may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and may no longer be accounted for in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time.  Assignment of episodes to years Years are assigned by the end of the first period of care in a patient's hospital stay.  Source:  Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), The NHS Information Centre for health and social care.

Prescriptions

Helen Southworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 26 January 2009,  Official Report, column 252W, if he will bring forward proposals for regulations to require that a patient must be examined by a prescriber before a prescription is issued for a controlled drug; and if he will make a statement.

Phil Hope: We have no plans to regulate the prescribing of controlled drugs in this way. The decision as to when a patient is seen by their prescriber, before the issue of any prescription, is a matter for their professional judgment. In exercising their judgment, they are supported by the issue of guidance by their professional regulator.

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which working groups of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control the UK  (a) is and  (b) is not a member of; and what mechanism exists for UK representation in those working groups of which it is not a member.

Dawn Primarolo: Working groups are established to develop guidelines for implementation of the Articles in the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC). Draft guidelines developed by these working groups are considered for adoption during FCTC Conferences of the Parties.
	The membership and progress of the current working groups is set out by the World Health Organisation on its website at:
	www.who.int/fctc/cop/working_groups/en/index.html
	The United Kingdom is currently a member of two working groups developing guidelines and recommendations on Articles 9 and 10, and on Article 14 of the FCTC. The UK was also a member of the working group that developed guidelines on Articles 8 and 11 of the FCTC.
	The UK is not a member of two currently mandated working groups developing guidelines and recommendations on Article 12 and on Articles 17 and 18.
	The UK is also participating in the inter-governmental negotiating body which is to draft and negotiate a protocol on illicit trade in tobacco products, to support the provisions of Article 15 of the FCTC.

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms exist by which signatory countries to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control join its working groups.

Dawn Primarolo: Countries that are Framework Convention on Tobacco Control Parties volunteer to participate in working groups to elaborate guidelines under the Articles of the Convention, when parties agree that guidelines are to be developed.

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what the membership is of each working group of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control of which the UK is a member; and what recent assessment he has made of the progress of each such working group;
	(2)  what his most recent assessment is of progress in the development of protocols and guidelines in respect of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control;
	(3)  what his most recent assessment is of progress made by the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control  (a) working groups and  (b) Conference of the Parties; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The membership and progress of the current working groups established to develop draft guidelines under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), is set out by the World Health Organisation on its website at:
	www.who.int/fctc/coop/working_groups/en/index.html
	Progress made by the intergovernmental negotiating body on a protocol on illicit trade in tobacco products is set out by the World Health Organisation on its website at:
	www.who.int/fctc/inb/en
	Reports from FCTC Conferences of the Parties are published by the World Health Organisation on its website at:
	www.who.int/fctc/cop/en

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recent discussions he has had with European Union counterparts on the development of protocols and guidelines in respect of the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

Dawn Primarolo: Protocols and guidelines made under the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) are discussed during relevant meetings convened by the European Commission.
	Adopted FCTC guidelines were discussed at the fifth meeting of member state health experts under the Tobacco Advertising Directive (2003/33) held on 21 April 2009, and at the ninth meeting of the Regulatory Committee established under Article 10 of the Tobacco Products Directive (2001/37/EC) on 22 April 2009.

WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control

John Cummings: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent assessment he has made of the UK's progress in meeting its obligations as a signatory to the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; and which of these obligations the UK has met to date;
	(2)  what effect he has given to the  (a) obligations and  (b) guidelines contained in the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control; and if he will make a statement.

Dawn Primarolo: The Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) encourages parties to take a comprehensive approach to tobacco control. A comprehensive approach to tobacco control is taken in the United Kingdom, and therefore, the Government believe that the UK meets the obligations set out in the Articles of the Convention.
	FCTC guidelines adopted by parties are non-binding, and set out best practice guidance for parties in the development of their tobacco control policies. Guidelines are important in informing the development of tobacco control policies in the United Kingdom.

Personal Computers

Jennifer Willott: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what estimate has been made of the proportion of personal computers in each of his Department's offices that are turned off (a) overnight, (b) at weekends and (c) during holiday periods; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: A limited deployment of energy monitoring software in December 2008 indicated that the level of personal computers not turned off overnight to be in the region of 30 per cent.
	A publicity campaign on  greening IT and working sustainably was initiated in January 2009, highlighting the carbon and financial cost of leaving equipment on outside working hours. The campaign has included events in communal areas and stands at all staff events. Information on  greening IT has been published on the Deparment's intranet and are included in presentations to staff. A green champions network is being launched on 8 May 2009 and the network will be used to raise awareness of sustainable working including switching off equipment when not in use
	A manual survey was undertaken on 7th April outside core hours and, out of 301 PCs surveyed, 12 (around 4 per cent.) were identified as powered on. There is no data available to state whether this level varies significantly in other buildings or varies at weekends and during holiday periods. Further surveys are planned in other buildings in May and June 2009.

INNOVATION, UNIVERSITIES AND SKILLS

Building Colleges for the Future Programme

Angela Watkinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of the implications of funding difficulties in the Building Colleges for the Future programme for the programme in  (a) Havering and  (b) England.

Si�n Simon: The Learning and Skills Council held discussions with a large number of colleges early this year in establishing the position and Sir Andrew has provided a comprehensive assessment in his final report. This work has allowed us to establish the extent of demand against the available budget and the reasons this position arose. We recognise that there is more to be done to understand that individual position of colleges and the difficulties they face. This is why the acting Chief Executive of the LSC has appointed an external team of property specialists to ensure that we have the most accurate and up to date information, including on the expenditure made to date, on which to make future decisions.

Building Colleges for the Future Programme

Peter Bone: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what capital funding has been allocated to further education colleges in  (a) Wellingborough constituency and  (b) England for 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Si�n Simon: Capital funding for Further Education colleges is administered by the Learning and Skills Council (LSC). As the information requested is with regard to an operational matter for the Council, Geoffrey Russell, the acting LSC chief executive will write to the hon. Member with the further information requested. A copy of his letter will be placed in the Libraries.

Building Colleges for the Future Programme

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how much the Learning and Skills Council allocated to each further education college for  (a) 2008-09 and  (b) 2009-10; and if he will make a statement.

Si�n Simon: The Grant Letter to the Learning and Skills Council (LSC) (November, 2008) set out planned investment in adult further education (FE) and skills for 2008-09 and 2009-10. Total participation funding is planned to increase from 3.2 billion in 2008-09 to over 3.3 billion in 2009-10.
	LSC funding allocations for 2008/09 academic year for each provider including FE colleges is published on the LSC website (www.lsc.gov.uk). These represent the funding allocated to the provider at the beginning of the year and may be subject to change in line with demand. Information on the 2009/10 funding allocations will be published following the start of the 2009/10 academic year.

Building Colleges for the Future Programme

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to his Financial Statement of 22 April 2009,  Official Report, column 241, what additional funding will be available for capital funding for further education colleges in  (a) 2009-10,  (b) 2010-11,  (c) 2011-12 and  (d) 2012-13; and if he will make a statement.

Si�n Simon: Budget 2009 announced additional capital funding of 300 million for this spending review period (2009-10 and 2010-11), which will allow the Learning and Skills Council to give approval to a limited number of projects starting in 2009-10.
	Recognising the long-term nature of capital projects, the Government are planning a continuing FE capital investment programme in future years, with a planning assumption of 300 million a year from 2011-12 to 2013-14 to be confirmed at the next Spending Review.
	This provides a provisional 1.2 billion in total to 2013-14 which should allow us to develop around 750 million of new schemes.

University Campus: Swindon

Anne Snelgrove: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of the merits of establishing a university campus in Swindon.

David Lammy: Swindon is one of the 27 areas that believes it could benefit from our New University Challenge initiative and has submitted an initial expression of interest. The Funding Council have recently published guidance for applications and in due course will make the decisions on the funding of projects, subject to high quality bids.

Further Education Colleges

Andrew Selous: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps he is taking to assist further education colleges with their capital programmes.

Si�n Simon: Ministers commissioned Sir Andrew Foster to carry out a review in January and the report was published on 1 April. My Department and the LSC have accepted all of his recommendations in full.
	In response to those recommendations the new acting Chief Executive of the LSC immediately appointed external teams to review the financial data and work with individual colleges to ensure the information held is a sound basis for making future decisions. The LSC is consulting with the sector on the approach to prioritising schemes to help meet Sir Andrew's recommendation to develop a needs-based approach. Following the Budget announcement of the additional 300 million of capital fundingthis work is needed to allow the most urgent projects to be approved as soon as possible.

Further Education Colleges

Henry Bellingham: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills when he next expects to meet the Learning and Skills Council to discuss the funding of further education colleges.

Si�n Simon: I have regular meetings with the Chief Executive of the Learning and Skills Council. The overall accountability framework includes formal quarterly review meetings on LSC performance, the most recent of which took place on 16 March 2009. We also meet on a regular and frequent basis to discuss a wide range of further education (FE) policy and implementation issues, including the funding of FE colleges.

Further Education Colleges

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of the adequacy of levels of funding for capital projects undertaken by further education colleges; and if he will make a statement.

Si�n Simon: We have invested more than 2 billion between 1997 and 2007 on FE capital. The Learning and Skills Council have supported more than 700 projects, in nearly 330 collegeswith only 42 colleges not benefiting from any of this investment. More than half the FE state has been modernised and even before the Budget announcements total LSC capital investment in this CSR was 2.3 billion.
	Budget 2009 announced that an additional 300 million of capital funding will be made available in the current spending review period. Also, for planning purposes, we are working on the basis of a provisional programme budget of 300 million a year in the next spending review. The final level of investment will be confirmed at the next spending review.

Colleges: Applications

Mark Pritchard: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills if he will hold discussions with the Association of Colleges on the number of new students applying for college places in 2010.

David Lammy: My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, and my hon. Friend, the Minister for Further Education meet the Association of Colleges regularly to discuss issues of mutual concern. They will be meeting the Association on 6 May.

Colleges: Applications

Tim Boswell: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent discussions he has had with representatives of higher education institutions on their procedures for allocating places for applicants.

David Lammy: I have regular discussions with the HE sector and its representative bodies. Concerning the allocation of places, it is a steadfast principle that individual universities decide who they admit to their courses and Government do not interfere in that process.

Self-Employed: Training

Andrew Gwynne: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps the Government are taking to encourage the training and development of the self-employed in Denton and Reddish constituency.

John Denham: Small businesses will be the top priority for the growing support that is available through Train to Gain, including the planned 350 million growth in the programme over the next two years.
	We have also made Train to Gain more flexible for small businesses in ways designed to meet their particular needs.
	But I want to make sure we are doing enough. So I have asked Peter Jones to lead a review looking at what more FE colleges and universities could do to support people entering self-employment from education or unemployment.

London Metropolitan University

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent discussions he has had with the Higher Education Funding Council for England on the funding of London Metropolitan University.

David Lammy: The situation at London Met is clearly serious and I sympathise with the students and staff at this time of uncertainty. However, responsibility for resolving the financial difficulties properly falls to the funding council and the university. Ministers cannot be involved in those discussions. I am though kept informed of developments and remain confident that HEFCE is acting appropriately in the best interests of the university and the rest of the sector.

Apprenticeships

Nicholas Winterton: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many residents of Macclesfield constituency received funding for an apprenticeship in 2008-09.

John Denham: 240 young people and adults in Macclesfield started an apprenticeship in the six months from August 2008 to January 2009. This is an increase from 190 in the same period in 2007/08, and shows the result of the extra investment we have made in apprenticeships in England.
	Nationally the number of apprenticeship places has also increased dramatically. 225,000 people started apprenticeships last year, up from only 65,000 in 1996/97.

Apprenticeships

David Taylor: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent discussions he has had with representatives of sector skills councils on access to apprenticeships for people with learning difficulties.

Si�n Simon: I and ministerial colleagues have met with a number of individuals and organisations to discuss access to Apprenticeships for people with Learning Difficulties and/or Disabilities. There have been no recent discussions with Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) specifically on this topic. As public bodies, SSCs are expected to promote equality for disabled people in their work. The Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Bill allows the provision of assistance and support in relation to finding Apprenticeships places and we are presently consulting on the Specification of Apprenticeship Standards for England.

Apprenticeships

David Kidney: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent assessment he has made of the adequacy of the level of provision of apprenticeships by employers in  (a) local government and  (b) the third sector.

Si�n Simon: We made clear in World-class Apprenticeships that the level of apprenticeship provision in the public sector was poor and that we should take action to improve the situation. This has happened and we have a broad programme of activity right across the public sector to increase the number of apprentices.
	During Apprentices Week in February we announced that there will be 21,000 additional apprenticeship places in the public sector in 2009-10. My right hon. Friend the Communities Secretary committed to her Department working with the Local Government Association to deliver the ambition that 7,500 of these would be in local government, roughly doubling the number of places available in local authorities.
	We have no detailed information about the number of apprentices in the third sector. We know this is an area where we need to develop more provision and the recently published prospectus for Group Training Associations will be an important opportunity to develop new ways to deliver apprenticeships in non-traditional areas.

Scientific Research

Phil Wilson: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what assessment he has made of the contribution scientific research can make to an economic upturn.

David Lammy: As the Prime Minister said on 27 February, science, engineering and technology will be the foundation of Britain's economic success. That is why the Budget maintained the Science and Research ring fence, and announced a 750 million Strategic Investment Fund to support advanced industrial projects of strategic importance.

Further Education

Richard Ottaway: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many people in  (a) Croydon and  (b) England enrolled on a further education course in the last three years.

Si�n Simon: In 2005/06, 31,600 learners resident in Croydon participated in further education and skills courses funded by the LSC; in 2006/07, this total was 29,300; and in 2007/08, 25,000. In 2005/06, 4.78 million adult learners resident in England participated in FE and Skills courses funded by the LSC; in 2006/07 this total was 4.12 million; and in 2007/08, 4.25 million.
	This reflects our prioritisation on longer, more valuable courses which will help people get new jobs and progress in work. Also funding an extra 75,000 college places this year as part of our response to the downturn. This Government are now investing in adult skills at record levelsover 5 billion this year.

Green-Collar Jobs

Jeff Ennis: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what steps his Department is taking to encourage collaboration between universities and the private sector in the development of green-collar jobs.

David Lammy: Sustained investment over the last decade has given us a world class science and research base from which to exploit potential growth markets, including the green economy. Measures in the 2009 Budget, such as 4 billion support for UK renewable energy projects and 405 million for developing a low carbon energy and green manufacturing sector, offer further scope to promote university collaboration with the private sector in this area. Publication of the new Higher Education Framework will set out how the HE sector will take a more active approach to building British competitive strengths through higher skill levels, research and knowledge transfer. This work will include ensuring our universities have clear funding incentives to respond quickly to support areas of potential growth.

South Devon College

Adrian Sanders: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what recent consideration the Learning and Skills Council has given to funding the proposed development at South Devon College.

Si�n Simon: The Learning and Skills Council will have been in regular contact with all colleges affected by the current position. Colleges can expect to meet shortly with the external team of property advisers that the LSC has appointed who will ensure information held by the LSC is a sound basis for making future decisions.
	Budget 2009 announced an additional 300 million in the current spending review period, which allows a limited number of further projects to start. Selection of projects will need to be based on objective criteria the LSC are currently developing in consultation with the sector.

Departmental Assets

Bob Spink: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills when his Department last reviewed its assets and land and property holdings with a view to identifying and disposing of surpluses.

Si�n Simon: A fixed asset validation exercise is conducted by DIUS each year to identify assets which may require disposal. This was last performed during April-June 2008.

Further Education: Finance

Adam Afriyie: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many colleges applied for funding under the Further Education Specialisation and Innovation Fund in 2008; which institutions were awarded funds in response to such applications; and how much was awarded to each.

Si�n Simon: The Further Education Specialisation and Innovation Fund, published in July 2008, received over 130 bids from specialist networks of FE colleges and training providers. Over 140 FE colleges were included in the networks that submitted proposals.
	The five successful pathfinder projects, announced on 1 December 2008, include 34 FE colleges in their networks. The number of FE colleges involved in each project and the amount of funding allocated to each network are as follows:
	South West Composites Gateway: led by City of Bristol College, will provide innovative solutions in composites design and manufacture for the aerospace and defence industry. Two FE colleges434,000.
	College-Business Innovation Accelerator: led by Cornwall College, will enhance the quality of business innovation services in the Land-based and Marine sectors. Four FE colleges720,000.
	Innovation in Sustainable Construction: led by West Nottinghamshire College, will encourage sustainable development in construction sector. 10 FE colleges513,000.
	Knowledge Transfer Leadership: led by Barnfield College, will develop a corporate college model and build capacity to offer business innovation services to a number of sectors, including engineering. Four FE colleges585,000.
	ink to FSXchange: led by the National Skills Academy (NSA) for Financial Services, will develop new business services for the financial services industry. 14 FE colleges720,000.

Higher Education: Coventry

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what opportunities there are for undergraduate study in Coventry for those in full-time work.

David Lammy: Several Coventry institutions provide undergraduate courses, including the Universities of Coventry and of Warwick, and colleges such as City College and Henley College Coventry. No data are held centrally on the number of part-time undergraduate courses offered by all of these, but between them the two universities have some 14,035 part-time undergraduate students. Coventry University offer many of their undergraduate courses on a part-time basis, plus some part-time-only ones, and work-based learning programmes designed to enable students to fit study around work, with an additional 750 employer co-funded places for 2009-10 and (through the Economic Challenge Investment Fund) activities such as more short courses offered to help with the current economic climate.

Measurement

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what discussions he has had with the Chief Executive of the National Weights and Measures Laboratory on his proposed guidance on prosecutions of persons selling goods in non-metric measures; and if he will make a statement.

David Lammy: The National Measurement Office (formerly the National Weights and Measures Laboratory) is an Executive agency of the Department for Innovation, Universities and Skills. Among a number of other functions the NMO has responsibility for advising the Secretary of State and his ministerial colleagues on policy affecting all aspects of the national measurement system.
	The chief executive and other National Measurement Office officials report regularly to the Secretary of State on all aspects of weights and measures policy, including on the development of revised guidance for trading standards departments on enforcement of units of measurement legislation.

Skills Funding Agency: Manpower

Phil Willis: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many staff will transfer from the Learning and Skills Council in 2010 to work for the Skills Funding Agency in each region of England.

Si�n Simon: As we informed the hon. Member in December 2008 there will be some 3,300 full time equivalents in the new structures in 2010, which is in line with existing LSC staffing levels. The Skills Funding Agency (SFA) will be an agency of DIUS and will have approximately 1,800 posts, including the 400 posts in the National Apprenticeship Service.
	Of these 1,800 posts a significant number are forecast to be based in the regions, around 1,300 in total. These staff will work across a range of functions, including national functions such as the National Apprenticeship Service. Current planning assumptions are that each region will have a minimum of 120 posts. The LSC is managing a transition programme that will establish shadow structures by September 2009, at this point we will be able to provide further detail on the staffing levels in each region.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Children: Maintenance

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much is outstanding in child support payments under the  (a) former and  (b) new child support scheme; over how many years such outstanding monies have been accumulated; and how many individuals are due payments in each category.

Kitty Ussher: holding answer 20 April 2009
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty:
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, how much is outstanding in child support payments under the (a) former and (b) new child support scheme; over how many years such outstanding monies have been accumulated; and how many individuals are due payments in each category.
	The information that the Child Support Agency holds on outstanding child support payments relates to cases rather than individuals. It should be noted that an individual may have more than one case. The latest information available shows that at the end of December 2008, 3.8 billion was owed in child maintenance by non-resident parents in a total of 1.1 million cases. Of this, almost 800 million of arrears was recorded on 555,000 cases administered under the current scheme, accruing each year since the 2003 and over 3 billion of arrears was recorded on 543,000 cases administered under the old scheme, accruing each year since 1993.
	The Child Support Agency routinely publishes information relating to the amount of child maintenance arrears outstanding at the end of each financial year in Table 22 of the December 2008 Child Support Agency Quarterly Summary of Statistics (QSS). The latest copy of which is available in the House of Commons library, or via the internet at:
	http://www.childmaintenance.org/publications/statistics.html
	I hope you find this answer helpful.

Children: Maintenance

Derek Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have had refunds from the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission for overpayments made to it and its predecessor during the last 12 months.

Kitty Ussher: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have therefore asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Stephen Geraghty :
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Questions about child maintenance, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner.
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people have had refunds from the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (CMEC) for overpayments made to it and its predecessor during the last 12 months.
	The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission does not collate information on the number of people who have received a refund of maintenance. However I am able to tell you that in the 12 months to the end on March 2009, around 6.5m was refunded, less than 1% of the total collected. A refund may be appropriate in cases where a change of circumstances or additional information has resulted in a reduction to the maintenance assessment/calculation and maintenance has already been received for the period in question. A refund is only made where there are no outstanding child maintenance arrears.
	I am sorry that I could not be more helpful on this occasion.

Civil Servants: Pensions

Francis Maude: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 3 March 2009,  Official Report, columns 1446-7W, on civil servants: pensions, how many civil servants have pension funds invested in  (a) Standard Life and  (b) Scottish Widows with-profits funds according to records held by the Pensions Regulator.

Tom Watson: I have been asked to reply.
	The Pension Regulator does not hold this information. The most recent information provided to the managers of the Civil Service Additional Voluntary Contributions Scheme indicates that, as at 31 December 2008, 475 civil servants had with-profits investments with Standard Life and 4,445 with Scottish Widows.

Departmental Complaints

Shailesh Vara: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department has taken to address the issues of maladministration raised in the Parliamentary Ombudsman's report, Putting Things Right: complaints and learning from DWP of 30 March 2009; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: DWP is the biggest delivery department in the UK, serving over 20 million customers at any one time and, as the Public Accounts Committee recently noted, the overall level of complaints which the Department receives is small compared with the number of customers it serves and the number of contacts which it has every working day with those customers. Every opportunity is taken to ensure that the Department's customers receive excellent service but, as the ombudsman has said, an organisation of the size and complexity of DWP will always receive complaints. Where mistakes happen, the Department seeks to ensure that these are handled and resolved as quickly and as satisfactorily as possible.
	The ombudsman's reports, together with those from the independent case examiner, are used as an important source of information on where systems improvements are required. The content of these reports is shared both within the Agencies and, where appropriate, more widely within the Department to ensure that lessons are learned and that changes are made where necessary.
	The 'learning for the future' section of the ombudsman's report outlines a number of the actions already taken to address the specific issues raised in her investigations, and how the Department has taken a number of steps that go beyond simply implementing the recommendations made. For example, the Department has reviewed its guidance to staff about making redress for the consequences of maladministration and discussed this with the ombudsman and her staff. As a result, a new guide is being developed which will reflect more closely the ombudsman's principles for remedy.
	The Department will continue to work constructively with the ombudsman in seeking to improve the service it provides to customers and in ensuring that changes are made to policies, procedures, systems or staff training as necessary to ensure that where maladministration is identified it is not repeated and that lessons learnt are put into practice.

Departmental Telephone Services

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average  (a) length and  (b) cost (i) in total and (ii) per minute to callers of calls to each helpline operated by his Department and its agencies in each of the last five years.

Jonathan R Shaw: The information is as follows:
	
		
			   DWP helpline  Average call length  Total cost (in pence)  Cost per minute (in pence) 
			 0800 Pension Credit Application Line 14.56 (1) (1) 
			 0800 State Pension Application Line 14.40 (1) (1) 
			 0800 Benefit Inquiry Line 3.29 (1) (1) 
			 0845 General Inquiries 6.01 31.22 5.19 
			 0845 Future Pensions 6.52 33.19 5.09 
			 0191 International Pensions 6.54 58.61 8.96 
			 0845 Disability Living Allowance 7.05 35.24 5.0 
			 (2) Carer's Allowance 6.20 55.98 9.03 
			 0800 Crisis Loans 21.15 (1) (1) 
			 0845 Employment Support Allowance 6.25 32.15 5.14 
			 0845 Incapacity Benefit 4.29 24.57 5.73 
			 0845 Income Support 4.37 24.88 5.70 
			 0845 Jobseeker's Allowance 5.44 29.02 5.33 
			 0845 Maternity Allowance 5.33 28.59 5.36 
			 0845 Social Fund 2.34 17.04 7.28 
			 0845 Jobseeker Direct 4.22 24.30 5.76 
			 0800 First Contact 18.11 (1) (1) 
			 0845 Employer Direct 6.30 32.34 5.13 
			 0845 National Insurance Number Allocations 5.54 29.40 5.31 
			 0800 Crisis Loan Contingency 12.51 (1) (1) 
			 0800 Crisis Loan Decision 29.51 (1) (1) 
			 0800 National Benefit Fraud Hotline 8.36 (1) (1) 
			 0800 Tax Evasion Hotline 7.22 (1) (1) 
			 0845 Debt Management 3.21 20.40 6.36 
			 (1) No cost. (2) Various STD numbers.  Notes: 1. Figures are taken from 2008-09. Some figures are based on quarterly performance and others on yearly performance. 2, Figures for the past five years not available as they were not recorded in the format requested. 3. To provide an illustration of the cost of calls the table uses BT's standard landline tariff of 3.864p per minute, with an 8p set up charge. Both amounts are inclusive of VAT. 4. The telecommunications market is very complex, with many different providers, all with their own tariffs and call plans. Recent research by the Department shows that over 80 per cent. of our customers contact the Department using landlines. As BT account for two-thirds of landline provision the table uses BT's landline tariff to calculate average costs. Only 9 per cent. of BT landline customers do not have a package that may now include free calls to 0845 numbers. 5. Figures for average call length include speed of answer and time spent with an agent.

Departmental Telephone Services

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the average cost to a caller of a mobile telephone call to a helpline operated by his Department; and if he will make representations to mobile telephone network providers to seek to lower these costs.

Jonathan R Shaw: The average cost of a call from a mobile telephone to numbers used by the Department varies widely. It depends on the contract between mobile operators and a caller, the number used0800 for initial claims and 0845 for changes in circumstances, and the length of the call.
	Charges are generally in the 10p to 15p range, but can be up to about 40p for some 'pay as you go' contracts. If a mobile caller is concerned about charges, they can ask to be called back.
	Following consultation with the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Office of Communications (OFCOM), the Department is making representations to mobile telephone operators to reduce and where possible eradicate these costs for its customers. As a first step, it is approaching operators to provide a free phone service for 0800 numbers. BT has already announced that calls to 0800 numbers will be free from 1 May. The Department hopes other operators will follow this lead.

Departmental Telephone Services

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps his Department has taken to reduce the cost to callers of a telephone call to its helplines; and if he will provide freephones in Jobcentres for clients to call such helplines.

Jonathan R Shaw: DWP's telephony numbering policy is that:
	Calls to claim benefit should be free, so we should use 0800 numbers.
	Calls for other reasons, which take less time to resolve, should be charged at a standard rate, so we should use 0845 numbers.
	We currently offer to call back customers who request a call back, so that we can absorb the cost of the call.
	We are constantly evaluating whether our numbering approach and technology best serves our customers. The telecommunications market is ever changing and increasingly complex and we are keen that our numbering policy is sustainable and continues to meet the needs of our customers. To ensure we maintain a consistently up-to-date view of the situation we are working with Ofcom, our telephony suppliers and with other telephony service providers.
	While we encourage customers to access self-service and telephone channels from their own home, for Jobcentre Plus customers, free to use Customer Access Phones with direct dial to our Helplines are available for those who do not have access to a telephone at home. People assessed to be in a vulnerable position due to their personal circumstances, for example customers who are homeless, can also make use of the Customer Access Phones.
	In addition, Jobcentre Plus offices have touch screen Jobpoint terminals installed for customers to use to access the same full range of vacancies available through the Jobseeker Direct helpline.

Departmental Telephone Services

John Battle: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many complaints  (a) his Department and  (b) each of its agencies received on the cost of telephone calls to their helplines in the latest period for which figures are available.

Jonathan R Shaw: The cost of calls to our helplines is not identified as a separate category in the Department's complaint data. Accordingly the information you request is not available.

Disadvantaged: Finance

Justine Greening: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how much of the deprived areas funds  (a) allocated by his Department in (i) 2006-07 and (ii) 2007-08 and  (b) carried forward to 2008-09 have been spent, broken down by district; and if he will make a statement.

Tony McNulty: In January 2007, 19.3 million Deprived Areas Fund was allocated to Jobcentre Plus Districts of which 0.1 million was spent.
	In 2007-08, 27 million Deprived Areas Fund was allocated to Jobcentre Plus Districts, of which they spent 16.5 million. For 2008-09, 1 million was allocated to Jobcentre Plus to cover the estimated costs of residual outcomes.
	The available information on expenditure by Jobcentre Plus Districts is in the table.
	City Strategy Pathfinders were paid a grant of 42.5 million in 2007-08: an original allocation of 32.1 million plus authority to spend an additional 10.4 million. The Department does not hold a breakdown of expenditure by City Strategy Pathfinders at Jobcentre Plus District level.
	
		
			  Deprived Areas Fund expenditure 
			   
			   Jobcentre Plus Districts 
			   2006-07  2007-08 
			 Ayrshire, Dum, Galloway and Tayside  1,121,646 
			 Bedford and Herts  308,013 
			 Berks, Bucks and Oxford  26,400 
			 Birmingham and Solihull  20,996 
			 Cambridge and Suffolk  17,266 
			 Central London  247,647 
			 Cheshire and Warrington 4,000 195,320 
			 City and East London  124,109 
			 Coventry and Warwick  411 
			 Cumbria and Lancashire 1,536 715,002 
			 Derbyshire  366,347 
			 Devon and Cornwall  167,604 
			 Dorset and Somerset  99,789 
			 Edinburgh, Lothian and Borders 7,786 49,362 
			 Essex  121,134 
			 Forth Valley Fife and Tayside 5,000 396,019 
			 Glasgow 3,936 57,029 
			 Gloucestershire Wiltshire and Swindon  112,948 
			 Greater Manchester Central  2,419 
			 Greater Manchester East and West 37,362 47,251 
			 Merseyside  47,858 
			 Hampshire  102,092 
			 Highlands, Isle Clyde Coast and Gram 14,527 644,329 
			 Kent  138,339 
			 Lambeth, Southwark and Wandsworth  901,258 
			 Lanarkshire and Dumbarton  728,683 
			 Lancashire  0 
			 Leicester and Northampton  71,049 
			 Lincoln and Rutland  199,177 
			 Liverpool and Wirral  0 
			 Norfolk  229,886 
			 North and East Yorks and the Humber  873,793 
			 North and Mid Wales  235,374 
			 North and North East London  622,438 
			 Northumbria  45,667 
			 Nottinghamshire  75,894 
			 South East Wales  257,278 
			 South London  789,355 
			 South Tyne and Wear Valley  259,641 
			 South Wales Valleys 175 1,113,393 
			 South West Wales  386,246 
			 South Yorkshire  0 
			 Staffordshire  193,681 
			 Surrey and Sussex  304,740 
			 Tees Valley  2,087,794 
			 The Black Country  0 
			 The Marches  380 
			 West London 380 105,149 
			 West of England  341,786 
			 West Yorkshire 22,523 1,468,833 
			 Not identified to specific District  117,004 
			 Total 97,225 16,537,829 
			
			 Total (rounded) ( million) 0.1 16.5

Incapacity Benefit

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many jobseeker's allowance claimants have terminated their claim and immediately claimed incapacity benefit on the grounds of poor mental health in each of the last 24 months.

Tony McNulty: Causes of incapacity are based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, published by the World Health Organisation. To qualify for incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance, claimants have to undertake a medical assessment of incapacity for work which is called the personal capability assessment. Therefore, the medical condition recorded on the incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance claim form does not itself confer entitlement to incapacity benefits. For example, the decision for a customer claiming incapacity benefit on the grounds of mental or behavioural disorders would be based on their ability to carry out the range of activities in the personal capability assessment.
	The available information is in the following table.
	
		
			  Claimants who flow off jobseeker's allowance and on to incapacity benefit with mental and behavioural disorders 
			   Number 
			 August 2006 22,700 
			 November 2006 22,700 
			 February 2007 27,000 
			 May 2007 25,400 
			 August 2007 23,700 
			 November 2007  
			 February 2008 22,300 
			 May 2008 24,900 
			 August 2008 13,400 
			  Notes: 1. Data are rounded to the nearest 100. 2. November 2007 data are not available. 3. Figures for the latest quarter do not include any late notifications and are subject to major revision. 4. The table shows the number of people who started an incapacity benefit claim, with a mental and behavioural disorder, within 90 days of flowing off job seeker's allowance. 5. A monthly breakdown is not available.  Source: Department for Work and Pensions Terminations dataset 5 per cent. and Department for Work and Pensions 5 per cent. sample datasets.

Incapacity Benefit

John Barrett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people previously in receipt of incapacity benefit have been transferred to contributions-based jobseeker's allowance in the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available.

Jonathan R Shaw: holding answer 22 April 2009
	The available information is in the table.
	
		
			  Claimants previously in receipt of  incapacity benefit/severe disablement allowance flowing to contribution based jobseeker's allowance in the most recent 12 month period. 
			   Number 
			 November 2007 2,200 
			 February 2008 5,100 
			 May 2008 5,100 
			 August 2008 3,300 
			  Notes: 1. Figures are subject to a high degree of sampling error and should only be used as a guide. 2. Figures are rounded to the nearest 100. 3. Figures updated to include late notified terminations. 4. Since the data is recorded in three month snapshots, a 90 day window was chosen to make sure that all flows between these benefits were picked up.  Source:  Department for Work and Pensions Information Directorate 5 per cent. terminations dataset.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what mechanisms are in place to inform claimants of contribution-based jobseeker's allowance of  (a) the maximum payment period,  (b) the date on which entitlement will expire and  (c) other benefits to which they may be entitled.

Tony McNulty: The administration of Jobcentre Plus is a matter for the acting chief executive of Jobcentre Plus, Mel Groves. I have asked him to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.
	 Letter from Mel Groves:
	The Secretary of Stat for Work and for Pensions has asked me to reply to your question regarding the processes that are in place to inform customers claiming contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance of the maximum payment period, the date on which entitlement will expire, and other benefits to which they may be entitled. This is something that falls within the responsibilities delegated to me as Acting Chief Executive of Jobcentre Plus.
	Information about entitlement to contribution based Jobseekers Allowance (JSA(C)) is available from a number of sources, including through a range of leaflets and the Jobcentre Plus and Direct Gov websites. In addition, the explanatory notes of all Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA) claim forms, and the leaflet Jobseeker's Allowance and getting back to work which is issued to every person claiming JSA, specifically detail that the maximum payment period for contribution-based Jobseeker's Allowance is 182 days.
	Customers claiming JSA are kept informed of changes to their benefit by the issue of 'system-generated' notifications as changes occur. When customers have received 165 days of JSA(C), they are informed by a system generated letter that their entitlement is nearing the maximum payment period. In addition, they are informed when their entitlement has actually expired, and that they may still receive Class 1 National Insurance credits if they continue to attend the Jobcentre and remain available for and actively seeking employment. These notifications ask the customer to contact Jobcentre Plus if they need any further information or if they think the decision is incorrect
	If the customer did not apply for income based Jobseekers Allowance JSA(IB) at the outset of their claim, they will be invited to claim once their entitlement to JSA(C) has ended. If the customer decides to claim JSA(IB) they are required to complete a claim form to reassess their entitlement, which will include information about how they can claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit, if not already in payment.
	Additionally, customers can ask for a 'Better off Calculation' to be carried out at any time during their claim. This calculation will look at a customer's current financial circumstances and their potential entitlement to any other benefits. Information about the 'Better off Calculation' is available via a number of sources, including leaflets and the Jobcentre Plus and Direct Gov websites.

Non-profit Making Associations

Margaret Moran: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many contracts his Department has with social enterprises; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Social enterprises are not defined by a particular legal form and as a result are not required to register with any one body or specifically identify themselves as such. Information on how many contracts DWP has with social enterprises is therefore unavailable.

Pension Credit: Overpayments

Theresa May: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Cardiff Central of 12 January 2009,  Official Report, column 41W, on pension credit: overpayments, how much of the money recovered had originally been overpaid due to  (a) fraud,  (b) official error and  (c) customer error in each month.

Kitty Ussher: The information is in the following table:
	
		
			  Pension credit overpayment recovery by classification, 2007-08 
			  000 
			   A pr  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sept  Oct  Nov  Dec  Jan  Feb  Mar 
			 Fraud 12 21 23 15 12 16 21 13 18 17 22 19 
			 Official error 159 124 121 125 121 124 176 164 145 122 94 48 
			 Customer error 1,368 1,297 1,374 1,520 1,641 1,790 2,396 1,927 1,756 1,870 1,943 1,666 
			 Other 686 777 801 691 622 574 608 616 412 469 442 478 
		
	
	
		
			  April to September 2008 
			  000 
			   Ap r  May  Jun  Jul  Aug  Sept 
			 Fraud 19 17 26 37 21 25 
			 Official error 44 24 53 38 32 38 
			 Customer error 1,756 1,922 2,026 2,211 1,808 2,212 
			 Other 616 429 440 600 446 431 
			  Note: April to September 2008 data is indicative only. 
		
	
	Fraud classification relates to where the customer has been convicted or admitted fraud, or accepted an administrative penalty.
	Other classification includes overpayments that have arisen where the Department has not been advised of a death in time to stop an automated payment into an account, or where an overpayment is identified following death.

Social Security Benefits: Control Orders

Patrick Mercer: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 23 February 2009,  Official Report, columns 87-8W, on control orders, how much his Department spent on  (a) incapacity benefit,  (b) jobseeker's allowance,  (c) disability living allowance and  (d) income support for individuals subject to control orders in the fourth quarter of 2008.

Jonathan R Shaw: For the period 1 October 2008 to 31 December 2008 the Department for Work and Pensions spent less than 8,000 on those individuals mentioned in  Official Report, columns 87-8W.

Unemployment

Steve Webb: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what his most recent estimate is of the number of  (a) employment vacancies and  (b) persons claiming jobseeker's allowance in each parliamentary constituency.

Tony McNulty: The information has been placed in the Library, and provides separate data for unfilled and notified vacancies to give the fullest picture of the number of Jobcentre Plus vacancies in any particular constituency. The labour market is dynamic and many new vacancies are filled so quickly they do not appear in the statistics for live unfilled vacancies, which are based on a snapshot of the vacancies available on a particular day.
	The coverage of these figures relates only to Jobcentre Plus notified and unfilled vacancies. Many vacancies come up through other recruitment channels and the proportion accounted for by Jobcentre Plus is likely to vary over time, according to the occupation of the vacancy and industry of the employer, and by local area. Estimates of the number of unfilled job vacancies across the economy as a whole are available from the monthly ONS Vacancy Survey, based on a sample of some 6,000 enterprises. However, the ONS survey is currently designed to provide national estimates only.
	In addition, it should be noted that parliamentary constituencies are often a poor match to the area covered by the local labour market. The number and range of jobs available to people within normal travel to work distances often extends well beyond immediate constituency boundaries. For this reason Government statisticians believe that this data should not be used to make assumptions about the availability of vacancies to people living in these constituencies.